Chasing Fire
by LECwrite
Summary: Joey is about to head into her final year of college, new friend Jen introduces her to an arrogant, womanising Pacey who in turn considers Joey to be a spoilt, rich ivy league princess. Both Joey and Pacey have been hurt in the past. Can they help each other out and become friends, possibly more? This is AU
1. Chapter 1

**I have begun another one - Yep I know, I haven't forgotten about Least Traveled Road, despite the fact I may have jumped the shark with that story. I will finish. Posting this to see what you guys think Please Read and Review as it helps me a lot, inspires me to write more.**

**This is AU, I really wanted to write something where Joey and Pacey never grew up together.**

**Chapter 1**

_On a Wednesday morning in July_

_We dried our tears and we said goodbye_

_Another angel gone before her time_

_But she's still alive in our hearts and minds_

_You never know, you never know_

_What you've got until it's gone_

_But heavens knows that when are old_

_She will be forever young_

_Tonight we sent an angel home_

_Sing out and celebrate her song_

_Tonight she'll go where we can't go_

_Sing out, sing out, sing out_

_Oh oh oh_

_Oh oh oh_

_There are things in life we can't explain_

_In a blink of an eye everything can change_

_So just appreciate the little things_

_'Cause you never know what tomorrow brings_

_You never know, you never know_

_What you've got until it's gone_

_But heavens knows that when are old_

_She will be forever young_

_Tonight we sent an angel home_

_Sing out and celebrate her song_

_Tonight she'll go where we can't go_

_Sing out, sing out, sing out_

_Oh oh oh_

_There's an empty room at home_

_Uh uh uh _

_How can it be so damn cold_

_Uh uh uh _

_Together we're not alone_

_Uh uh uh _

_Tonight we sent an angel home_

_Sing out and celebrate her song_

_Tonight she'll go where we can't go_

_Sing out, sing out, sing out_

_Oh oh oh_

_On a Wednesday morning in July_

_We dried our tears and we said goodbye_

**Angel - Kodaline**

It was typical cliched weather, the clouds hung dark and threatening in the sky, blocking the sun from penetrating the chill in the atmosphere around the small gathering. Joey stood, her arm slung protectively over her friend as she silently sobbed, clutching Joey's waist in despair, a handkerchief at her nose and her watery eyes downcast. Joey stood tall, hoping to be the rock for the small blonde at her side.

She looked around her, the cemetery was quiet, the priest spoke in a soft, lulling tone. The occasional sniffle or blowing of ones nose sounded through the air. Joey discreetly wiped a tear from her eye before it had the chance to travel any further. Her eyes roamed the small gathering by the graveside, Joey only knew a few faces. Jack, stood close by his father, an expression of despair. To Joey's left stood Dawson, he stood emotionless. Joey could only assume he was still in shock over the events of the past week. Joey pulled Jen closer to her side, tightening her arm around the small woman. Everyone else were unknown to Joey, as was the small seaside town the funeral was being held.

Jen had spoken of Capeside, a beautiful picturesque sea side town on the cape, although the reason for her first visit was not under the best of circumstances the beautiful landscape was not lost on her as they had entered the small town hours previously. Joey looked up to find a lone figure standing by a large oak opposite, in her direct line of vision, a tall man, his hands shoved deep into his pockets. His face obscured as his looked at his feet. Joey felt drawn to him, having no discernible reason as to why. He looked up and their eyes locked briefly, Joey felt her breath catch in her throat. The sadness was unmistakable, even with the distance between them. His eyes blue as the ocean yet clouded with an emotion other than sadness, regret?

No, it appeared something akin to guilt.

He dropped his head once again to survey the ground beneath him, searching for answers in the sodden earth beneath him. Joey stood, barely listening to the words being spoken about the terrible loss of a young life, one taken too soon. It was always the same wasn't it?

Funerals, words spoken about a person, usually too late. Words that should be said when they were alive. Sometimes Joey wondered if people held onto those words because they couldn't say them to the living, for whatever reason. They kept them locked up within them, avoiding saying them because of confronting emotions they had no idea how they might handle them or how they could possibly be taken.

There had been many words spoken at her own mother's funeral years before that had never been spoken while she had lived, Joey had spoken many of those words to her as she sat by her grave, laid flowers. She had never said anything to her mother while she was alive, not what she really wanted or needed to say.

Did it mean anything, did it make a difference that she had said them when she was dead?

She supposed not.

The low rumbling of thunder made it's way across the sky as the priest wrapped up and moved to offer his condolences to the mourners. Joey looked about her, noticing the man from beneath the tree had left, a small tightening in Joey's chest passed through her before she noticed Jen tugging on her arm, pulling her toward the car. Joey mentally shook off the feeling he had invoked within her, it was deja vu, in a sense. Something she had never quite felt, she had certainly never seen him before and yet he seemed, no; felt familiar.

Jen and Joey walked in silence to the line of cars parked on the kerb outside of the cemetery, Dawson trailed behind slowly. Joey sat behind the wheel, knowing Jen was in no state to drive. She blew her nose softly and buckled her seatbelt as Joey pulled away from the kerb and onto the street, heading back towards town to Evelyn Ryan's house where the wake was to be held.

Joey noted Dawson's demeanour as he sat quietly in the backseat, looking out over the landscape as it whirred past. Joey frowned, all her friends were broken and there was nothing she could do to help them except be there for them when they would eventually turn to her.

Joey was new to the close knit group of friends, having met Jen at a small cafe close to Worthington campus six months prior. Jen had been sitting at a table alone, waiting for Jack in the crowded cafe, Joey had ordered herself a coffee to go but the rain had begun to beat down while she had stood in line to be served and had stood awkwardly in the coffee shop waiting for a break in the weather so she could make a run for it. Jen had noticed her and had offered her a seat.

Joey had never had any close friends, much less girlfriends. She had spent most of her twenty one years on her own, spending most of her time with her books and studies. Now as her third year at Worthington College was slowly coming to an end she found herself within a small group of very close friends. Sometimes it felt as though Jen and Jack had been in her life forever, she loved them dearly and could not imagine life without them. She didn't know Dawson very well, he seemed to drift in and out of their little group on a whim, when he found the time to pull away from his own small group of pretentious film making friends. Joey was truly happy for this as she didn't quite feel comfortable around him, he was nice enough but there was something about him she simply could not relate to, while optimism and dreams were certainly an attribute, Joey couldn't help but wonder if one could get by in life on those things alone.

Joey was a realist and quite the cynic, believing that life was not simply all about hearts and flowers. Certainly she liked to believe they existed, but the life she had lived up until now did nothing to stave of her misanthropical view of the world and the lives of those which lived within it.

Joey pulled Jen's car up along the many others parked by Grams Ryan's boundary fence, they all slowly got out and headed into the house.

Joey and Jen busied themselves helping Grams with the food and drinks until there was nothing left to do, Jack arrived along with his father, he sat alone in the kitchen, his head down. Jack had completely shut down over the past week, not even Jen could get through the walls he'd erected in the time.

Their Boston house felt different now, as though something had been taken away. In the four months Joey, Jack and Jen had been living in the place it had been filled with fun and laughter. Now things were different, and while Joey knew it had only been a week it felt as though maybe things would never be the same.

There was sadness and despair but also anger which hung around Jack and Dawson. Joey moved through the front door, the old hinges squealing in protest as she passed through it to offer Jen a cup of tea. Jen smiled gratefully. They stood for a beat in silence.

"Thank you for coming Joey, you really didn't have to." Jen spoke softly as she looked down across the lawn to the small dock and the creek beyond, Joey glanced at her friend and gave her a small smile.

"It's the least I could do Jen." Said Joey, taking a sip from the small, intricately painted tea cup. Jen only nodded, letting out a breath of exhaustion.

"I'm worried about Jack" Jen said, glancing into the house momentarily before turning to Joey, she nodded knowingly.

Losing someone you loved was bad enough, losing a family member was almost unbearable. Joey knew this all too well, some nights she still even cried herself to sleep at the loss of her mother, now lately more than ever. Their recent loss exacerbating all of the feelings she had pushed down inside of her for so many years so she could move on with her life. Oddly, at times more recently, Joey felt as though she was now grieving for her mother all over again.

Jen and Joey's attention was pulled from their own private musings by the sound of Dawson's voice, Joey and Jen looked to each other before their eyes moved to find Dawson following someone from the side of the house. Joey recognised the other figure as being the man she had seen beneath the oak tree at the funeral.

The two spoke to each other barely above whispers, Joey could tell by the body language of the two men it was not a pleasant conversation and looked to be quite heated. Joey could make out a few words spoken by Dawson at the man but was unable to hear any of his responses to him.

Joey watched on as Dawson poked at the man in anger, he simply shook his head or swiped Dawson's hand away. Joey could see Dawson's facade begin to crumble as the man waved his hands around, wildly gesticulating. He didn't however lose his temper at Dawson or raise his voice. The man began to move away from Dawson and turned toward the house, he made his way up the front steps and disappeared inside, not acknowledging Jen or Joey at all. Joey turned to watched as he disappeared into the house. She turned to Jen who by now had a frown across her face as she too watched him vanish from view. Joey turned to watch Dawson walk off towards a large white house across from Grams'. Joey tilted her chin towards Dawson's retreating figure.

"Is he going to be okay?" She asked Jen. Jen shrugged before finally nodding.

"Yeah, he just needs to cool down, he'll be fine." Joey chewed on her lip with worry.

"What just happened?"

"What always happens." Jen sighed and turned to enter the house.

Jen stood in the doorway to the kitchen and watched the exchange between the two men, speaking in hushed tones before Jack nodded and sat down at the table.

"I need to get back to Boston, but you know where I am Jack. " Jack simply nodded numbly and watched as he moved off towards the back door. He turned to look back at Jen and gave a small smile before heading out the door. Jen quickly made her way to the door and called to him.

"I'm sorry." She called out. He turned and shrugged as he opened the drivers door of his mustang.

"Yeah." He cleared his throat and nodded. "Me too Lindley. Take care of Jack." He said, jumped in the car and drove off. Jen waved, although it was well after he was gone, she stood at the back door and looked behind her to Jack, knowing that as close as they were it was not going to be easy to help him get through this. They had been through a lot together and had always found themselves out of what ever cloud they had found them selves in, this however felt different. Jen felt completely out of her depth.

Hours had passed by slowly and Joey and Jen stood in the kitchen saying their goodbyes to Grams. Dawson had never come back from his parents place and Jack had left with his father. Grams shook her head at her granddaughter.

"No Jennifer, it's fine. I can clean up. You ladies had better get back." Jen nodded and Grams turned to Joey. "It was a pleasure meeting you Josephine." She said, drawing her into an embrace. The sudden show of affection from the older woman took Joey by surprise, she reciprocated awkwardly but smiled as she pulled away.

"You too Mrs Ryan." She spoke softly, Grams nodded her head and followed the two women out into the yard, Jen drew the keys from her bag and looked over the creek, the sun was slowly setting on the horizon.

"I'll talk to you soon Grams." She nodded her head and stood back, waving to Jen and Joey as Jen backed out and turned the car around. Joey waved from the passenger seat and they made their way onto the road, out of town toward Boston.

Joey sat in the dim light of the kitchen of their house in Boston, Joey was surprised how the beautiful semi detached house had become a home and Jen and Jack much like family. Joey had moved in with Jen and Jack four months prior when Jen had asked her, claiming the dorms were lonely and seeing as the house was a gift from her father out of guilt for being a crappy father Jen beamed that she wouldn't have to pay for rent or the utilities. Joey had jumped at the opportunity to have her own room and people to share space with she actually liked. Lisa, her Worthington roommate was a little creepy, wearing dark clothes and wandering around with Edgar Allen Poe literature where ever she went in the dead of night. Joey was convinced she belonged to some odd satanic cult, it was either that or perhaps simply Joey's overactive imagination and _skittish kitten_ tendencies.

Jen had retired to bed an hour earlier, exhaustion of the day's events finally taking it's toll on her.

Joey allowed the silence wash over her while sitting, nursing a cup of herbal tea. Her thoughts went back to the days events, she was glad to have finally made it through the day with her self intact, emotionally speaking. For a long time after her mother's passing Joey refused to set foot in a church, regardless of the occasion. She had spent the entire ceremony of her cousin's wedding two years ago in the front garden of the church. She was thankful today was a graveside funeral so she could attend and be there for Jen.

Joey's thoughts went back to the young man with the ocean blue eyes, she could still feel the sadness and guilt she had discovered there. The familiarity about him also confused her, she had certainly never seen him before. Joey frowned, maybe she had seen him in passing somewhere on the street or at Worthington. He looked to be the same age as she so it was possible, not really probable but nevertheless.

Joey quickly glanced at her watch and decided it was getting late, she had an early day planned of studying at the library in the morning. Joey stood and moved to the sink, she tipped the remaining tea down the drain and moved out of the kitchen.

There was an eeriness to the hall within the darkness Joey never felt before, knowing it was more than likely a mix of her exhaustion, the heightened emotional state the day had brought on and the late hour.

Joey yawned as she slipped quietly into her room and beneath the welcoming sheets of her bed, she closed her eyes, the days events passing through her mind . Pausing every so often on certain events. Him standing beneath the large oak. Dawson arguing with him in the yard at Grams. Joey couldn't get him out of her head, she had no idea who he even was.

Joey sighed and closed her eyes, slowly drifting off to sleep. The last of her thoughts were of the man with the eyes which mimicked that of the ocean, swirling with sadness and guilt.

The gentle lapping of the water of the creek sounded against the pilings of the dock. Normally the clear blue sky above could help him with regards to signs or, perhaps hope for the future his mostly optimistic side was now in hibernation. The weather completely betrayed the storm within himself. He stood looking out over the creek, glassy stillness of it's surface reflected the vision of a man who felt hollow inside.

Dawson stood, his hands deep in his pockets while he stood, the sun close to breaking over the trees on the horizon. Dawson felt completely and utterly lost, something he had never felt before, certainly not on such a grandiose scale.

She was gone.

He loved her more than anything and she was gone.

She was gone and he knew exactly who to blame.

And _he_ knew it too.

Dawson, vaguely aware of footfall along the worn, wooden dock tilted him head back, knowing who it was before he spoke.

"How you doing Dawson?" Mitch stood beside his son and looked out to the water, the sun beginning to glisten on the surface of the lake in the early morning. Dawson let out a heavy breath, no words to speak of however. "I know it seems as though everything is falling apart and they don't make sense but. "He turned to Dawson. "You can't keep this up." He said. Dawson finally looked to his father and lifted his brow in disbelief.

"It's been just over a week Dad, what do you you expect." Mitch shook his head.

"I know son, I know. I'm not asking you to forget about everything, about her or about what you had."

"What are you saying then?" His tone bitter, his stance challenging. His father no idea what he was currently going through, he had no idea and yet here he stood assuming the role of a man with all the answers.

"What I am saying is that you need to begin to move on, she wouldn't want this." Dawson's response was a mere snort of asperity. "She wouldn't want you to give up." He continued, ignoring his son. Dawson only shook his head while he begun to turn away form the creek.

"Excuse me while I try to ignore the considerable amount of hypocrisy in that Dad."

Mitch allowed his shoulders to slump with defeat, he used to pride himself of being able to give his son advice, to be the rock of insurmountable strength, he now couldn't be that man for Dawson. He did hope his son would be able to find his way out and while he knew he needed to figure it out he also was not so naive that it would take a mere week to get out of this fog of sadness he found himself trying to navigate within.

Dawson shook his head as he made his way into the bedroom, slamming the door to make more of a point than to show his anger.

"Unbelievable" He mumbled, pulling at his clothes from their hangers and tossing them haphazardly into the waiting suitcase. Where did he get off, he knew nothing about what Dawson was feeling, he couldn't even imagine how he could possibly know that the love of his life was now gone. She was dead and he was left to go through the rest of his life broken and stumbling to pick up the pieces after she left him.

While she left him he could not be angry with her, it wasn't really her fault.

It was the fault of someone else entirely, that one man who still had a hold of her heart, even after all these years.

Dawson was angry with _him_ and he and _he_ alone was to blame.

Dawson finished packing his clothes and pulled his suitcase from the bed and dragged it down the stairs. He left his suit in the wardrobe in his childhood room, not wanting to be reminded of why he was there in the first place. He knew that when he got back to Boston there would be enough of a reminder of her, of what he had lost.

The warm mid may breeze tugged at Jen's soft blonde curls as she locked her car outside of her house, leaves from the large oaks rustled in the spring flurry. Jen sighed and smiled as she made her way up to the house. A week had passed by slowly as her small group attempted to regain their footing, she had spoken to Jack over the phone each night and although he had not returned to Boston she knew he was beginning to cope with his loss. It was going to be hard, she knew that. She was thankful he had not shut down all lines of communication entirely.

Jack would be staying for the rest of the semester along with the summer in Capeside.

Jen had opted to stay in Boston for the summer and continue to work in the small cafe three blocks away, Joey worked at Hell's Kitchen, a bar not too far away from Boston Bay college and would not be returning to Pennsylvania for the summer either.

Jen had not spoken to Dawson at all in the past week, she had tried to reach out to him only to get his answering machine, her phone calls screened and her messages never acknowledged.

Jen dug into her bag at the sound of her phone ringing.

"Hello" She smiled into the phone.

"Hey Lindley, we still on for lunch tomorrow?" He asked her.

"Well, it is Wednesday." She grinned knowing it never mattered which day it was they always caught up for lunch when they were both free to do so. Jen closed the door behind her with her foot, Joey looked up from her book as she sipped at a glass of iced tea at the kitchen island counter. Jen offered her a wave, she grinned back. "Actually, I was hoping to invite my friend along too."

"Oh, okay sure. See you tomorrow then Jen."

"Okay, Bye."

Jen made her way into the kitchen and hoisted herself upon the kitchen stool. Joey sat her book up and smiled at her friend, happy she was beginning to see the Jen she knew beginning to return. "So, you coming out to lunch tomorrow?" Jen asked "I'm meeting a friend" Jen noticed Joey's hesitation, knowing her enough by now to understand Joey felt uncomfortable around other people she placed her hand over her arm and smiled warmly. "He's an old friend, he may be a little sarcastic but he's a good guy." She said, Joey nodded finally although with no small amount of trepidation.

Joey frowned, while she was thankful Jen had happily brought her into her circle of friends she felt nervous each time a new person was introduced to her, especially seeing as most of her friends were close as they had all known each other for a long time. Joey really had no one, a friend or two back home but she had never really been close to them and they didn't talk much after graduation. Now they were preparing to wrap up their third year of college. The first two and a half years was filled with her working or studying, meeting Jen really only by chance. She was happy as she and Jen had become very close in the six months they knew each other, while Jen and Joey talked a lot about their current lives in Boston Joey rarely talked about her life back in Pennsylvania , Jen had spoken of some of her friends and life back in Capeside and New York, they had not really opened up to each other fully. Joey knew it would eventually.

Joey sighed, she knew she had to try harder to be less nervous around new people, maybe going out to lunch would help her to come out of her shell more.


	2. Chapter 2

_**I must admit that I have not really edited this so I apologise for the mistakes in possible spelling ;) I am currently trying to work on Least Traveled Road and I hope to have an update on that very soon, but in the mean time here is Chapter 2 of Chasing Fire please R&R as it does spur me on to write more. I will admit right now that I have no idea where I am going with this. I am adding songs to each chapter to give the overall theme of the chapter please check them out.**_

Chasing Fire

Chapter 2

_Keep drinking coffee, stare me down across the table_

_While I look outside_

_So many things I'd say if only I were able_

_But I just keep quiet and count the cars that pass by_

_You've got opinions, man_

_We're all entitled to 'em, but I never asked_

_So let me thank you for your time,_

_And try not to waste anymore of mine_

_And get out of here fast_

_I hate to break it to you babe, but I'm not drowning_

_There's no one here to save_

_Who cares if you disagree?_

_You are not me_

_Who made you king of anything?_

_So you dare tell me who to be?_

_Who died and made you king of anything?_

_You sound so innocent, all full of good intent_

_Swear you know best_

_But you expect me to jump up on board with you_

_And ride off into your delusional sunset_

_I'm not the one who's lost with no direction_

_But you'll never see_

_You're so busy making masks with my name on them in all caps_

_You got the talking down, just not the listening_

_And who cares if you disagree?_

_You are not me_

_Who made you king of anything?_

_So you dare tell me who to be?_

_Who died and made you king of anything?_

_All my life I've tried to make everybody happy_

_While I just hurt and hide_

_Waiting for someone to tell me it's my turn to decide_

_Who cares if you disagree?_

_You are not me_

_Who made you king of anything?_

_So you dare tell me who to be?_

_Who died and made you king of anything?_

_Who cares if you disagree?_

_You are not me_

_Who made you king of anything?_

_So you dare tell me who to be?_

_Who died and made you king of anything?_

_Let me hold your crown, babe_

_**King of Anything - Sara Bareilles**_

Pacey Witter slowly made his way into his two bedroom apartment early Saturday morning, the sun had barely begun to peek it's head over the horizon. Throwing his keys on the bench he kicked his shoes off, leaving them where they fell. Pacey trudged his way up the spiral staircase of his loft apartment, pulling his shirt off as he entered his bedroom. He yawned and threw himself onto the bed, a soft groan sounded from the other side, Pacey glanced over to see her asleep. He closed his eyes momentarily and silently cursed at her presence.

"Hey" She muttered sleepily. Pacey only frowned, not making any movement closer to her.

"What are you doing here Audrey?" He asked the blonde next to him.

"I haven't seen you much over the last couple of weeks Pace, I missed you." She pulled herself up to rest on her hand, looking down at him. The unmistakable look of desire clouded her perfectly clear blue eyes as she reached over to run her hand over Pacey's bare chest. He stilled her hand with his own and sighed.

"I've been working Audrey." He said with exhaustion.

"Well." She moved closer "You're here now." Audrey leant down to place her lips over Pacey's, he kissed her back without enthusiasm. She pulled back from him and frowned. "What's with you, why don't you want me?" Pacey rolled his eyes and gently ran his thumb across her cheek, dropping his hand down over his chest and yawned.

"It's not that babe. I just finished a sixteen hour shift, i'm tired." Audrey pouted and turned over with her back to him.

"Fine." She snapped, Pacey however had no energy to try and convince her his exhaustion was the only reason he was not in the mood for her advances. Truth was Audrey had begun to get too comfortable in Pacey's apartment, he was beginning to feel smothered.

He and Audrey had been dating for almost eight months, while it was fun at first and he enjoyed how they had a casual relationship Audrey appeared as though she was searching for something more. While she clung to him he was beginning to pull away, he could never see himself with her in a long term relationship. Eight months for him was entirely too long, he was pretty sure everytime he saw her she was humming _here comes the bride._

Pacey looked over to her and rolled onto his side, their backs together.

Pacey woke to find Audrey pulling a comb through her damp hair. He glanced over to his alarm clock, it was just after eleven. He sighed and rubbed his eyes, waiting for her to turn after noticing he was awake yet at the same time desperately hoping she would simply leave without acknowledging him.

It was the former.

"It's her isn't it?" She asked him, it was an old argument even before her death. Audrey had never let the topic rest for long. Pacey groaned and sat up, he shook his head adamantly. "It is, it's always her." She told him.

Pacey stood and placed his hands on his hips. "Audrey, do we really have to get into this?" He was weary, this topic of conversation, he thought, was old and tired.

"Yes we do, you've been pulling away from me, not just in the last week Pacey." Audrey sighed, having no idea where to go from here. Pacey allowed his hands to drop to his sides, he smiled softly and moved to Audrey, taking the comb from her hand and setting it on the dresser. He drew her close to him, clasping his fingers at the small of her back while he spread his feet apart so he was at eye level with her.

"I'm sorry Audrey, it's a lot of things. Work, Jack and yes dealing with the death of a friend. Dealing with the guilt Audrey."

"Pacey." She whispered. "It's not your fault Andie killed herself." Pacey balked at her words and closed his eyes. He took a deep breath trying not to think about it. He simply nodded and released Audrey from his arms and stood up straight, moving away from her, nodding again hoping the affirmative gesture would help him to believe the words. Audrey looked at him helplessly, she reached for him but as he moved she realised more than ever he was still just out of her reach.

"I'm going to take a shower, i'm meeting Jen for lunch." He said, noting Audrey's face fall momentarily before she flipped her hair over her shoulder.

"Okay, well i'm off to go shopping" She said with nonchalance, albeit feigned. Pacey moved off towards the bathroom.

"Yeah, you go spend Daddy's money" He muttered as he closed the door behind him.

Audrey let out a defeated breath and made her way down the staircase, across the living room and out of the apartment, shutting the door firmly behind her.

Pacey sat in the small cafe, his mind played over the conversation with Audrey from earlier. While Andie certainly occupied his thoughts, given the recent events which had transpired over the last couple of weeks and the months before her death. He knew it was not for the reason Audrey always accused him of. Pacey had been in love with Andie for quite some time, they had made a go of it after her tryst with the mental patient and had lasted a few months during junior year until Pacey realised it didn't feel right, that he still harbored the bitterness left over from her being unfaithful.

After five months or so into senior year Pacey decided the whole education system was really just a 'crock of shit' so he left. Pacey was certainly not destined for academic glory and could care less that he didn't graduate high school, most people saw him as a loser anyway, why stick around to prove them right when he could do that from Boston. Pacey moved in with his sister; Gretchen, the one who only mildly thought he a loser. He decided he would go ahead and do the one thing he always seemed to be able to do and attempted to fulfill his overwhelming need to be the knight in shining armor.

Pacey used his brother's connections to find a job. With only his hero complex as a weak skill and his reckless behaviour and physical strength as his only attributes Pacey found his calling working for the Boston Fire Department. Gaining a full time position after six short months of being a candidate, Pacey fell into the routine of the job easily.

Against Pacey's better judgement, he and Andie found each other again and tried once more to give their relationship another try. It ended badly, very badly.

Not only had Andie been unfaithful to him, again but she did so with the worst possible person. His best friend.

Pacey had come home to their apartment to find her in bed with Dawson Leery.

He was gutted.

He tossed them both out on their bare asses, threw their clothes out into the hall with them. It was that night Pacey vowed to never get close enough to another woman ever again. To never allow real feelings cause his heart to break ever again.

This was why he pushed Audrey away. He cared for her but he didn't love her. Truth be told he didn't think he would ever love again.

"Hey Gorgeous" Pacey looked back from his thoughts at the window to the voice. He grinned and stood up to meet her.

"Hey Lindley" He pulled her close to him for a tight embrace, kissing her affectionately on the forehead. Pacey raised his eyebrows at the tall brunette standing behind Jen.

He recognised her from Andie's funeral. She was beautiful, it had been the first thing he'd noticed when he looked over at her from the opposite side of the graveside.

Their eyes had locked briefly, it was in that moment he had seen not just a beautiful woman but a woman of strength and torture. She was a woman who knew of loss. She had also caught his eye at Grams' after his argument with Dawson, there was something in her eyes, a familiarity he had no understanding of.

"This is Joey Potter, our housemate" Pacey extended his hand to her. He felt the instant jolt of electricity course through his body, a strange and overwhelming sensation he had never felt in his entire life.

He was in trouble. Big trouble.

Pacey decided it would be best to nip this in the bud while he currently had all of his faculties about him. He kicked in with the usual Witter defense mechanism.

"So, you're one of those?" He drawled as he sat back in his chair, arms across his chest. Joey raised a brow with mild curiosity.

"Those?" She questioned. Pacey shrugged.

"Yeah" He smirked, motioning to her Worthington College tee shirt. "Privileged, uptight Ivy league princess." Joey leaned forward, her elbows on the table. Where did this guy get off? He thought because he had beautiful eyes, a gorgeous smile and was in every way of the word; sexy as hell he could get away with being an asshole?

"I'm sure a man currently filling his dream of becoming the worlds greatest gas station attendant would know right?" A slow, easy smile crept it's way across Pacey's face and he shook his head with good humor, opening his mouth to respond Jen quickly cut him off.

"Okay, let's order shall we?"

A young blonde waitress stood waiting to take their orders, giving Pacey coy looks. Joey rolled her eyes.

"So what's good?" He gave the waitress one of his disarming smiles, his eyes sweeping over her body with appreciation. "Or can I just order off menu?" He cocked an eyebrow suggestively. The woman blushed furiously. Jen rolled her eyes while Joey snorted in disgust.

"You are a womanising bastard, you know that right?" Joey scoffed shaking her head at him. A smile tugged at Pacey's mouth.

"Thanks." He grinned.

Jen and Pacey spoke and Joey and Jen spoke. Joey and Pacey however traded vial abuse at one another, each remark getting decidedly nastier. Jen found herself interfereing on numerous occasions to diffuse the situation which had started to escalate between the two brunettes.

While at first she found it amusing it quickly began apparent it might soon turn to physical abuse. Pacey and Joey sat, their arms crossed across their chests, eyes locked with the other in contempt. Jen's phone rang and she jumped up to answer it. She slipped out onto the the footpath to take the call.

Pacey was now beginning to understand that he was truly beginning to dislike the stuck up princess who sat across from him and certainly hoped she would never be accompanying Jen to anymore lunches with him around. He stood abruptly, tossing down money to cover their lunches and the tip. Joey glanced down at the table.

"I can pay for my own lunch." She sneered. Pacey shrugged and pulled her share out and stuffed it back in his wallet.

"Suit yourself Princess." He turned to walk away. "Fucked if I care, use Daddy's credit card."

"Don't call me princess." Joey spat in anger. Pacey turned to her and rolled his eyes before letting them roam over her body, he smirked when he saw her physically squirm beneath his gaze. Joey's eyes narrowed, flickering in anger toward him.

"Don't do that either." She said. Pacey lifted an eyebrow at her.

"What?" He feigned innocence.

"Leer at me as though you are undressing me." Pacey snorted.

"Hey, you _are_ beautiful. I'll give you that." Pacey lowered his voice and moved closer to her ear, speaking in an intimate tone. "But princess, so are a lot of women. Doesn't make you special." Pacey turned and made his way out of the cafe.

Jen said her goodbyes to look at Pacey standing before her, she offered him a small look of guilt. Joey stepped behind Pacey, a scowl on her face. Pacey smiled at Jen and shook his head.

"It's okay Jen, you don't have to hide it. I know you are friends with him." He shrugged, Jen nodded and moved to give him a hug. "I'll call you Lindley, maybe we can get together over the weekend for drinks?" She nodded.

"Say hello to Audrey for me" Jen spoke with mock sweetness, Pacey snorted.

"Yeah sure" He laughed. "Like you really care enough" He said. Jen shrugged.

"Yeah well, I don't. Just being polite." Pacey shook his head and began to move off down the street.

"You know, it really only counts if it's sincere." He spoke. "See ya Lindley."

"Bye, aren't you going to say bye to Joey?" Pacey's eyes narrowed and shrugged.

"I told you, only counts if it's sincere."

Pacey ambled his way along the busy streets toward his apartment, he'd taken a call from the Chief as he made his way between bustling bodies laden down with shopping bags. It was his night off, the first friday off in quite some time. When he took the call he had a feeling it wouldn't stay that way, he was right. Seemed they were going through a lot of employees lately, most looking to get out of the city but some were looking to get out of the work entirely.

The factory fire over in south Boston over a month ago had certainly rattled quite a few nerves, quite a few casualties and three deaths. Pacey still had vivid nightmares of that night, the heat of the fire, the smokes thickness almost suffocating. The worst of it was the chaos which ensued, the screaming and wails of agony. The one thing Pacey could not seem to shake was the smell of burning flesh, it was unlike anything he had ever encountered. That friday had been the worst he had endured in the three and a half years working for the Boston Fire Department, it had broken a few of his peers and he felt he was only hanging on by a thread the first couple of weeks after. The mandatory counseling afterward had helped, that and his unhealthy hero complex forced him to stay, besides there was nothing else he could do. Nothing he was good enough at to make a career out of and he liked what he did, despite the danger and the stress.

The Fire Chief informed him his company was down a member so he would need to get his ass into work pronto. Pacey made haste to get back to his apartment, change and be at the station within the hour ready to work.

There goes another Friday, he briefly called Audrey to break plans to meet up for drinks that night as he headed for his locker. He felt conflicted, part of him felt bad but also another part of him felt relieved.

Pacey threw himself into an empty chair in the common room next to his friend Matt Hastings, a blonde haired, browned eyed Australian man a couple years older who from his appearances should be on the surfing circuit instead of battling fires of inner city Boston.

"Hey Oz" Pacey yawned as he slumped further down in his chair, removing the lid from his bottle of water. Matt glanced over to Pacey.

"Hey mate, fire on Burnston?" He asked him, Pacey nodded, swallowing.

"Yup, abandoned building." Matt nodded, taking a drink from his own water. They sat in silence watching early morning infomercials with little interest and even less motivation to get up to change the channel. Seeing as the remote was lost to them three months previously, the television sat on one channel as no one person had the forethought, nor the inclination to actually work out how to change the channel without said tv remote.

"You working the weekend?" Matt cocked his head to Pacey. Taking a sip he looked to his friend and rubbed his chin in thought, his eyes squinting, trying to conjure up a virtual roster of his shifts and finally shook his head.

"Nah, but I wasn't supposed to be working this shift so who knows." Matt gave a knowing chuckle and stood up to slap Pacey on the back.

"I'm hearing ya mate." He grinned, turning back to him "Hey, we'll catch up over the weekend and throw a few beers back?" Pacey nodded. Pacey checked to clock on the wall, knowing he only had an hour left of his shift he closed his eyes and leant back in his chair waiting for the minutes to tick by.

Joey woke in the early hours of the morning, she had attempted to close her eyes and try to get back to sleep since she first woke, knowing it was hopeless, Joey threw the covers off her. The sun had begun to peek over the city buildings, many of Boston's inhabitants still deep in slumber. Joey sighed and dressed quickly into her running gear and quietly made her way out the front door. Joey began her morning jog at a slow pace at first, allowing her lungs to slowly expand before increasing her speed. She soon found her rhythm while her feet thumped down on the sidewalk below her. Deciding on running a few laps of Boston Common Joey pushed all thoughts aside, trying not to allow any thoughts to occupy her mind. The house at the moment felt cold and desperate and she didn't know what to do, Jen was better, but not. There was something which hadn't returned to her since Andie died, Jack wasn't there at all, he was in Capeside with his father and would not be returning to Boston Bay until the fall, she wasn't sure if that meant Boston as well. Dawson had shut down for the most part but Joey knew he still called Jen.

Pacey. She didn't know Pacey, only from the initial meeting in the cafe the day before and he was an arrogant prick.

She didn't want to know him. Sure he came to Andie's funeral, Joey doubted he and Andie were close. Joey doubted Pacey; the unfeeling, insensitive bastard was close to anyone but Jen. Joey made her way back along the early morning streets, the familiar sounds of the weekend stirred around her. Children laughed and ran about in the yard, somewhere someone had brought a lawnmower to life, now it was spring they could take it out of hibernation. The smell of freshly cut grass invaded Joey's senses, she slowed to a walk close to the house and let herself in quietly expecting Jen to still be asleep.

Jen's head lifted at the sound of the front door and footsteps upon the stairs. Jen guessed it was Joey returning from her morning jog. She sat at the kitchen counter, cradling a steaming cup of coffee in her hands. She had arranged to meet up with Dawson for drinks later that night and couldn't help but feel some apprehension, she was friends with Dawson, not as close as she had over the years. Their friendship had changed half way through their first year of college when Dawson and Andie's betrayal had come to light. As much as Jen had wanted to stay neutral with the situation she found her loyalties lay with Pacey, not just because he had been the one betrayed but because she was closer to him to begin with.

Joey had finished showering and now made her way into the kitchen, she spied Jen staring off into space, clearing her throat to pull her away from her thoughts she smiled at her friend.

"So what's on the agenda today?" She asked her while she busied herself with pouring herself a glass of orange juice.

"Not much until tonight." She spoke. "Drinks with Dawson, you game?" Joey offered a weak smile and nodded.

"I'm working but not the closing shift." She said. "Where you going?"

Jen sighed, they usually drank at one of the larger city bars but Jen was beginning to think a smaller and quieter place would be better given recent events.

"Hell's Kitchen?" She offered. Joey raised her eyebrow to her friend. Joey had only been working at Hell's Kitchen for two weeks after quitting one of the bars in the city because of a handsy co worker. "I figured we should boycott 'sleaze palace' in light of recent events." Jen grinned, Joey laughed and shook her head. There was something in Jen's eye Joey caught, apprehension.

"What's wrong?" She asked her. Jen offered up a sighed and took a sip.

"It's Pacey's watering hole." She spoke. "He and Dawson in the same area might be difficult, possibly disastrous." She said. Joey shrugged.

"I've never seen him in there, thankfully." She said. Jen slowly nodded.

"He's been working a lot lately, mostly nightshift. He does have this weekend though so no doubt..."

"Great." Joey said bitterly. Jen laughed at her friend, knowing Joey didn't appear taken by Pacey at all. "He's a jerk Jen." Joey added, Jen simply shook her head.

"No. Believe it or not, Pace is one of the good ones." Joey snorted in disbelief.

Jen offered a small smile, knowing Joey knew nothing about their past and because of that she would see Pacey as nothing more than a heartless arrogant prick. The truth was Pacey was the complete opposite of that, Jen knew him to be the most sweet, understanding and affectionate man she had ever known. He was broken and guarded now, never allowing himself to wear his heart on his sleave like he had in the past.

Refusing to have his heart broken again.

It wasn't something she could explain to Joey, and while Jen had to admit, Pacey's behaviour toward Joey was far more hurtful and bitter than she had ever witnessed she couldn't help but wonder if there was something a little more than he trying to keep his distance from any one new.

"I doubt anything you say to me could convince me of that Jen." Joey drained the last of her juice and made her way back up to her bedroom.

Pacey was the most arrogant, nasty and cold man she had ever met. He reminded her of Adam; her best friend from back home she had fallen in love with and who had broken her heart, who had turned out to be everything she thought he would never be. She didn't need another one like that in her life.

Joey sighed into her pillow after throwing herself down, tonight was not going to be pleasant if Pacey did infact turn up at Hell's Kitchen later that night.

After a long shift Pacey had returned to an empty apartment, thankfully. He knew he was avoiding the issue with Audrey, while he knew she didn't deserve to be pushed away he felt himself doing it regardless. Pacey lay in bed trying to get much needed sleep before he met up with Matt and Jen later for drinks, happy they had decided to meet him at Hell's Kitchen so he only needed to venture over the road and not travel into the city.

Pacey's mind drifted to Andie, while he was beginning to allow himself to function without her he still couldn't shake the guilt. The argument with Dawson after the funeral played over in his head. How Dawson had accused Pacey of being the reason she took her own life, that she had still been in love with Pacey and couldn't live without him. Dawson had said he was always second best to Pacey, that she had Dawson as her consolation prize. Pacey didn't understand it at all, she had betrayed him, she already had him and then she screwed it up.

How could it be his fault?

Pacey sighed and rubbed his eyes, he quickly checked the clock on his side table and groaned. He had managed to get some sleep but not much, Pacey rolled himself out of bed in search of food. As he made his way down the spiral staircase he was aware of shuffling of feet on the floorboards.

A familiar blonde came into view as he finalised his descent.

"Hey Pace" She grinned, sashaying her way over to him, her hips swaying seductively as she did.

"Hey." He grumbled, rubbing his hand over his face. "What are you doing here?" He asked. Audrey's eyes narrowed briefly before slipping her arms around his waist.

"I wanted us to spend time with each other." She said. Pacey smiled and pulled her closer to him, happy for the comfort of another warm body if nothing else. His lips brushed over hers, allowing a soft kiss to pass between them. He pulled away before she could deepen it.

"Well Matt and I are going out, you want to come?" He asked. Audrey's eyes lit up at the offer, knowing he had been pulling away from her lately and she was ecstatic for the invitation.

"Yeah that would be great" She grinned, Pacey nodded unenthusiastically. She offered his a brilliant smile, it was contagious and he wondered if maybe he could let go and just simply be. She was beautiful and sexy, he wasn't in love with her but maybe in time he could. Maybe he could love her the way he loved Andie.

"Great." This time his smile was genuine. "We're going to Hell's Kitchen." He spoke. Audrey nodded reaching for her bag.

"Okay well i'll meet you back here in a little while then?" Pacey nodded, offering a less guarded kiss and walking her to the door, smiling as he closed the door.

His smile faded and he wondered if he was just kidding himself.

He had to at least try, right?

Pacey had just finished dressing and lacing his boots up when the door to his apartment was thrown open.

"Hey Witter, you done primping in the mirror?" Matt asked as he dropped on the couch. Pacey rolled his eyes at his friend and reached for his phone and wallet.

"This coming from the only guy I know who owns more hair product than a woman." He smirked, gesturing to the door. Matt stood up with a shrug.

"Hey I don't look this good without a little help" Pacey snorted and shook his head.

"Somehow the 'i just rolled out of bed' is not really a style Oz." Matt chuckled as they made their way out onto the street.

"So, where's the body?" Matt asked. Pacey cocked an eyebrow at his friend.

"She called to say she'll be late, she's going to meet us over there."

"You know Witter if I had that woman in my bed I wouldn't be getting out of it for anything every drinks with my best mates." Pacey laughed as they made their way over the road to Hell's Kitchen. Matt swung the door in and noticed Pacey's hesitation and then a groan.

"What's up?"

"My night has just gone to shit." He said, nodding to the leggy brunette leaning over the bar in conversation with a blonde he really didn't want to see for at least the rest of his life.

"Who's the glamour?" Matt asked, nodding to Joey as they made their way over to Jen.

"Ivy League princess?" Matt smirked at Pacey's description and nodded. "Joey." He answered.

Matt watched Pacey watching Joey and wondered what it was all about. While he said the words with bitterness he couldn't help but notice something else in his eyes that was decidedly less bitter. This was something he was going to have to look into a little more, he had spoken to Pacey numerous times about his life with Audrey and he had known Andie also as he and Pacey had become firm friends when Pacey was a candidate. He had seen how much Pacey had loved Andie, although he hadn't liked her very much, seeing her for the vindictive bitch she later proved herself to be. Matt and Pacey did have a falling out although briefly when he had gone to Pacey to tell him how she had hit on him at one of the station Christmas parties, their friendship had been repaired a month or so later when Pacey had found out about her betrayal with Dawson. Knowing all of this he knew what he was trying to do with Audrey, pushing her away and trying to have more of a casual relationship to guard his heart from anymore hurt.

Joey looked over to the two men who made their way into the bar and over to Jen, Joey groaned audibly catching Dawson's attention.

"What?" He asked her, Joey jutted her chin out toward the men, one in particular. "Great. You've met the asshole I see." Joey nodded. "Well come on, you're off now. Let's drink and hopefully his presence won't seem so bad." Dawson offered her a smile, Joey nodded and removed her apron, making her way around to the other side of the bar.

This night had definitely taken a deep plummet into the depths of hell.


	3. Chapter 3

**_A/N Thank you for your patience, I am updating Chasing Fire and I hope to update the least travelled soon. The last week has been an emotional whirlwind as I have spent every waking hour organising my Mother's funeral, when she was finally put to rest last Friday. Thank you for your patience and I hope to update more regularly. I have so many P/J stories in my head that I have begun and want to get them all finished._**

**_Please R&R_**

**_I have used one of my fave songs - very 'on point' for this chapter, please check it out if you don't know it._**

Chasing Fire

Chapter 3

_I look up from the ground_

_To see your sad and teary eyes_

_You look away from me_

_And I see there's something you're trying to hide_

_And I reach for your hand but it's cold_

_You pull away again_

_And I wonder what's on your mind_

_And then you say to me you made a dumb mistake_

_You start to tremble and your voice begins to break_

_You say the cigarettes on the counter weren't your friend's_

_They were my mate's_

_And I feel the color draining from my face_

_And my friend said_

_"I know you love her, but it's over, mate_

_It doesn't matter, put the phone away_

_It's never easy to walk away, let her go_

_It'll be alright"_

_So I still look back at all the messages you'd sent_

_And I know it wasn't right, but it was fucking with my head_

_And everything deleted like the past, it was gone_

_And when I touched your face, I could tell you're moving on_

_But it's not the fact that you kissed him yesterday_

_It's the feeling of betrayal, that I just can't seem to shake_

_And everything I know tells me that I should walk away_

_But I just want to stay_

_And my friend said_

_"I know you love her, but it's over, mate_

_It doesn't matter, put the phone away_

_It's never easy to walk away, let her go_

_It'll be okay_

_It's gonna hurt for a bit of time_

_So bottoms up, let's forget tonight_

_You'll find another and you'll be just fine_

_Let her go"_

_But nothing heals the past like time_

_And they can't steal_

_The love you're born to find_

_But nothing heals the past like time_

_And they can't steal_

_The love you're born to find_

_"I know you love her, but it's over, mate_

_It doesn't matter, put the phone away_

_It's never easy to walk away, let her go_

_It'll be okay_

_It's gonna hurt for a bit of time_

_So bottoms up, let's forget tonight_

_You'll find another and you'll be just fine_

_Let her go"_

_It'll be alright_

_It'll be alright_

_It'll be alright_

_It'll be alright_

_It'll be alright_

_**Be Alright - Dean Lewis**_

Pacey eyed Joey as she and Dawson made their way over to the table he, Jen and Matt sat at. He let out a breath of exasperation as she sauntered over, head held high and sat next to Jen in a seat furthest from her arch nemesis. Matt gave a sidelong glance before extending his hand to Joey.

"G'day, i'm Matt." He smiled warmly. Joey offered a lopsided half smile, something Pacey caught out of the corner of his eye and managed, with difficulty, to ignore the way his stomach somersaulted at her shy expression.

"Joey." She said, shaking his hand. Jen turned to Pacey and they engaged in polite chit chat about work and the end of college for another year, Jen elated by the idea of only having one year after the summer. Pacey glanced to Dawson who was yet to speak or acknowledge him, not that Pacey cared as he hadn't spoken a word to him either.

"You spoken to Jack lately?" He asked the small blonde. Jen sighed and nodded.

"Yeah, a few nights ago. You?" Pacey nodded slowly.

"Yeah, late last night." He spoke cautiously. "I'm worried about him, I was thinking the next chance I get I might take a trip to Capeside and see how he's doing." Jen nodded solemnly, she had planned to do the same over the summer as well. Dawson having overheard Jen and Pacey's conversation snorted in derision causing Pacey's head to snap up and look to his former best friend.

"You got a problem Leery?" He spat. Dawson shook his head.

"I just don't really see how you would care is all Pacey, you only ever think about yourself." Pacey rolled his eyes at the comment.

"Go fuck yourself Dawson." He snapped at him, downing the last of his beer and slamming his glass down. Their argument now getting the attention of the other three at the table. Joey narrowed her eyes at Pacey, wondering why he was such an ass. Dawson had not long lost the woman he loved, she didn't understand what was going between the two men but being an insensitive prick Pacey obviously was she couldn't stand it.

"What the hell is wrong with you Pacey?" She sneered at him. "Are you really that much of an unfeeling bastard that you can't at least be civil with someone who just lost someone he obviously loved very much." Her eyes narrowed at him "Not that you would ever know what real love is considering your cold heart that probably doesn't even beat inside that chest of yours." Jen moved her arm to rest a hand on Joey's forearm in silent warning, Joey looked to her briefly, preparing to ignore her and go into an even bigger angry spiel at Pacey.

"You know what Princess, I don't give a fuck what you think. Anything you have to say really means shit to me." He said and stood to make his way to the bathroom.

The door to Hell's Kitchen swung open and Audrey stepped inside, offering a quick wave before making her way to the women's rest room quickly, Joey watched at Jen stood abruptly and walked with detirmination as she followed her.

"Oh dear there goes momma bear." Matt joked. Joey stood up wondering what the problem was and made to follow. She pushed her way into the women's bathroom, hearing part of an argument between the two although she couldn't see them.

"...either you tell him you're cheating on him or I will" She heard Jen's voice, dripping with hatred toward the other woman.

"You wouldn't dare."

"Try me." Joey bit down on her lip and quietly backed out, not wanting to intrude on a private argument she knew nothing about or who else it involved.

By the time Joey had made it back to her seat Dawson looked up to her with a questioning look.

"What's going on?" He asked, Joey shrugged.

"Jen's having an arguement in there with some woman about how she's cheating on her boyfriend." She shrugged. Matt closed his eyes, Dawson let out a breath and Pacey who was back at his stool furrowed his eyebrows.

Joey looked around her in confusion and was about to ask when she noticed Pacey's face fall as Jen and Audrey made their way back towards them. Pacey stood abruptly and turned to Joey.

"Happy, maybe the cold heartless behaviour is catching eh?" He sneered at her. "Screw you bitch." He snapped and pushed his way from the bar out onto the sidewalk.

Silence fell over the small group, Joey looked around in surprise.

"What'd I say?" She asked innocently.

Pacey sat against the wall just outside of the bar, trying to keep his emotions in check. He shook his head in disbelief, maybe he had done something completely heinous in a past life to warrant such treatment by others in his life, especially those of the female variety. Pacey looked up as he heard the sound of the door being opened and chuckled, shaking his head.

The hits just keep on coming.

Joey walked up to him slowly, her hands in her back pockets. Pacey sat, his knees bent and his forearms resting lightly over them.

"What the hell to you want now Ivy League?" He looked up to her finally, Joey could see hurt in his eyes, something she hadn't seen since the funeral. She carefully tucked a loose tendril of chocolate brown hair behind her ear and chewed on her lower lip, she took a deep breath and slowly stepped forward.

"I-I'm sorry Pacey, I didn't know."

"Oh _really_, why is it I just don't believe you?" He spoke with accusation, his tone cold and void of emotion. Joey frowned, not knowing what to say to him. Pacey turned to look out across the road, trying to ignore her. "Just go back inside because neither of us likes the other enough to want to even try to fake civility." Joey sighed and nodded, turning she made her way back into the bar. She watched Pacey stand up out of the corner of her eye. He moved slowly to the curb and walked across to the building on the other side without a backward glance.

Joey's eyebrows knit as she watched him, surprised the man she had come to hate actually appeared as though his heart might actually beat.

The feel of hands grasping onto her shoulders pulled Joey's eyes away from the windows to an angry blonde in her face.

"You fucking bitch!" She spat, her face an inch off Joey's "What the hell did you think you were doing, you've ruined everything." Joey could see tears welling in the woman's eyes, her blue eyes glistening within her despair. Joey opened her mouth to speak, wanting to apologise, for what exactly she had no idea, at least not to this woman. Audrey shoved Joey hard and took off out of the bar in the direction of where Pacey had disappeared to.

Joey made her way over to Matt, Jen and Dawson, a look of contrite on her face as she looked to Jen.

"I'm really sorry Jen, I didn't know.." She said, feeling tears sting at her own eyes for the problems she had inadvertently caused. Jen simply shook her head and held a hand up. She motioned to the seat beside her where a fresh drink sat.

"It's okay Jo, I know. It's my fault really. I mean I had my suspicions for a while. I didn't find out for sure til a couple of weeks ago." Dawson stood up with a huff.

"Look, I'm going to take off." He said, Jen looked up to him and rolled her eyes.

"Okay, I'll give you a call during the week. Maybe we can get together for dinner sometime." She offered. Dawson nodded and lent down to kiss her cheek softly before moving off.

"And then there were three." Matt smiled softly, glancing over the road before looking back. Jen simply shook her head at what a mess this was. Jen, Joey and Matt finished their beers until Matt stood up and made his way to the door with Jen and Joey following. The night proving that high drama was never to be left to the angst of their formative years back in high school.

"Would have been great to be able to catch up with you without the drama." Jen smirked at Matt, he offered a light chuckle and kissed Jen on the cheek.

"I know but, there is always something that happens to throw a spanner in the works with this little group." He grinned. Jen shrugged. "It's about time I got home to the wife anyway." He nodded, offering a wave to Joey before sauntering off to his car and driving off.

Jen and Joey waved until Matt had disappeared around the corner before heading on foot to their own place.

Pacey remained at the window where he had stood for the past hour or so, completely ignoring Audrey's presence in his apartment. She had attempted to explain and even begged him for a second chance when she knew she couldn't lie her way out of the hole she now found herself in. Finally, Pacey found himself acquiesce with a sigh and turn to find Audrey slumped on the couch, her head in her hands. She looked up to him upon hearing him clear his throat audibly, her eyes bloodshot and puffy, her mascara smudged across her face and her normally silky well groomed blonde mane now in shambles around her.

Pacey drew in a deep breath and polished off the last of his beer. He set the empty bottle on the bench and folded his arms across his chest, lifted a brow. Now he was ready to hear whatever bullshit she would inevitably conjure up in her head.

He'd heard it before, twice.

Here he stood again, silently waiting.

"I'm sorry Pacey." Pacey closed his eyes and shook his head, he laughed lightly.

"That you were caught, I'm sure you are Audrey." He spoke, his tone distant and uncaring. Void of any emotion. Audrey blanched at Pacey's indifference, she stepped forward on shaky legs as she drew herself to standing and made her way to him. Audrey placed her hands on Pacey's upper arms. She felt his body tense beneath her touch.

"For everything Pace, you have to believe me i -"

"I don't have to do anything Audrey, least of all believe you. You are all the same." He scoffed and pulled himself from beneath her tough roughly to find his way to the front door, opening it for Audrey. "Get the hell out. You can collect whatever you had left here tomorrow. I'll be out to lunch with Jen so that would be the best time."

"Pacey please don-"

Pacey cut her off as though he had not even noticed she had begun speaking to him. He nodded. "That would definitely be the best time, out while I see the one person who truly cares about me. Because Audrey I do not wish to ever see you again." Pacey waited for Audrey to leave, she dropped her head and made her way out. Pacey closed the door behind her with a resounding click.

Pacey turned and leaned against the closed door, he closed his eyes, feelings over a similar event coming to him in a rush of anger and pain.

_It was late spring and work had been relatively easy that day, tiring but he'd enjoyed it. Pacey made his way up to the small apartment he shared with Andie, it was halfway between Harvard and Boston Fire Department so they had chosen it for their equal commute, not that Pacey really cared. He would have lived anywhere if it meant he could come home to Andie at the end of his shifts. He had not felt this happy in quite some time and it was thanks to a few things; he was out of Capeside, working and doing well and he shared his life with the one woman he could easily see it being forever with._

_The moans of pleasure pulled him up short as he closed the door behind him. His stomach twisted within him in agonising realisation as to what he would find on the other side of his and Andie's bedroom door. Pacey took a breath, wanting nothing more than to turn and leave, to never discover what was behind the door. Being the glutton for punishment that he appeared to have a proclivity for Pacey reached out a hand and opened the door. He stopped in the doorway, along with his heart._

_Finding Andie in bed with another man was devastating, when that man was Dawson, his best friend since they were toddlers, certainly something else entirely. Not only had one person betrayed him but two had. The two people he thought were the most important people in his life._

_Now he simply had nothing. _

_He had no idea if they noticed before or after he stormed into the room, he was enraged and saw nothing beyond the two who had caused his anger. Pacey picked up the clothes belonging to dawson and Andie from the floor and bent down to grip the sheet in his hand they held clutched to their naked bodies in surprise. Pacey tugged at it swiftly, the light cotton snapped in the air. He made his way down the short hall to the front door and tossed it along with their clothes outside of the apartment. Moving back into the bedroom where Dawson and Andie barely had time to stand Pacey bent to grasp the bottom sheet from the bed and tugged it free from the mattress, he then tossed it out of the front door too. His last trip back inside and he gripped both Dawson's arm and Andie's, dragging them, they had begun to protest. Andie was crying and telling him she was sorry, Pacey didn't speak a word, instead he pushed them out of the apartment where they tumbled to the floor. Pacey slammed the door shut and locked the door behind him, turning to lean against the back it, slowly sliding down to slump upon the floor beneath him. Pacey's body, along with his entire world crumpled in a heap, broken upon the floor._

Pacey slowly stood and made his way the the fridge for another drink, this time he knew it was different because this time he had prepared himself, prepared his heart. This time was completely different because he didn't love Audrey, yes he was angry. Yes he was hurt and felt betrayed. But, with Andie he felt as though he couldn't survive the betrayal, that he was lost and he would be nothing without her. This was different, he didn't love Audrey and he knew he could get past it once the initial anger abated he knew he could dust himself off again.

Pacey sighed and made his way over to sit on the couch knowing his need for self preservation may have very well driven Audrey to be unfaithful but he was not willing to risk it again, not after Andie. His heart would not take it if he gave it away only to get it back shattered.

If that meant living the rest of his life never experiencing love as wholly and complete as he did when he was with Andie well then it would just have to be enough. The alternative would kill him.

Pacey sat in silence until he decided he had drank enough to silently mourn the loss of another relationship and went to ben, his heart a little bruised and his head aching. Overall something he would definitely get over by the time morning came around. He had done it before with other short lived relationships since his break up with Andie two years before.

He would also, more than likely do it again with others in the future.

Joey lay on her bed in the dark, thinking over the nights events. She had thought about asking Jen about the rife between Pacey and Dawson and why they hated each other but thought better of it. She decided she would leave it alone, she didn't need to get into other people's dramas. Certainly not the dramas of a man, while nice and sweet enough he had just lost the love of his life and the other guy, well he was an ass and she hated him.

Joey slipped beneath her sheets and closed her eyes, she couldn't remove the look she saw in Pacey's eyes. It was a pain in them she had not seen before, something she never expected he of all people could possibly portray because quite simply he was a man who had no feelings, he had proven that countless times in the short time she had known him. While she attempted to convince herself of this, she could stop but find herself intrigued by him. Joey sighed, wondering why she cared. He was an ass and she shouldn't care. Joey rolled over in her bed and groaned. Maybe she would tag along with Jen on her weekly lunch with Pacey, if nothing else she could at least try to apologise to him again, just because he was a cold hearted person didn't mean she was and he certainly didn't deserve what had happened that night.

Hoping Jen would let her accompany her to lunch Joey closed her eyes and finally found herself content, she would apologise and hopefully all would go a little better than the first one she offered. Maybe he might accept it.

The warmth of the late spring weather helped to lighten the feeling of anxiety Joey was beginning to feel, Jen walked alongside her as they made their way into the cafe to meet Pacey. Looking around her with anxious eyes Joey didn't find the familiar piercing blue eyes and surmised he hadn't arrived yet. Jen nodded to a table by the window. Joey and Jen moved between the chairs, happy it was less crowded now the popular hangout for young twenty something year olds had left for the summer. Joey was certainly thankful they would have less of a crowd when she was the subject of Pacey's certain diatribe with her as the sole subject. She was beginning to think she was crazy for willingly putting herself in this position.

Jen and Joey sat themselves down to wait for their lunch companion, Joey could feel her pulse quicken beneath her skin as she caught sight of Pacey out of the corner of her eye through the window. Her eyes sort him out as Jen talked about taking a drive up to see Jack in Capeside the following week, Joey nodded absently. Her eyes drawn to the way Pacey moved across the street, he walked with a confident swagger Joey had previously took be that of arrogance, now after seeing the sincerity of pain in his eyes the night before Joey saw him differently, at least while he wasn't shooting his mouth off with acidic insults.

Pacey caught Joey's eyes behind the window as he approached, he closed his eyes briefly and cursed under his breath. His day had now taken a turn for the worse. He thought about walking right by and not entering but knowing Joey had now noticed him he couldn't very well do that, Pacey capitulated and made his way to the entrance.

Joey found, she had not only agreed travelling to Capeside was a wonderful idea but she would also accompany her as well, her attention pulled toward her friend when Jen had also divulged she planned to have Pacey accompany them.

While Jen knew Pacey and Joey didn't get along very well, in actual fact they happened to abhor each other Jen still considered it to be a great idea the three of them travel to Capeside to help Jack with the healing process. While the idea of asking Dawson instead of Pacey would certainly be safer and there was little chance of blood being shed Jen knew she could not spend too long in Dawson's presence. She found she was forcing herself to try and remain civil with him, being incredibly close to Pacey over the years she knew where her loyalties lay.

Pacey dropped into the chair across from Jen by the window, his scowl matching the expression Joey now sported.

"Hey Lindley" He smiled warmly at his friend, choosing to ignore Joey altogether. Jen said her hello and without wanting to think long enough to back out Joey spoke.

"How are you Pacey?" Was it really hard for her to just ignore him, Pacey let out a breath knowing he couldn't simply ignore her now could he.

"Fine." Offering the brunette nothing more than a curt reply. Joey chewed on her lower lip and dragged an errant lock of hair behind her ear nervously. "Pacey, I-" Pacey only held his hand up to stop her and shook his head. Ceasing any more words that may escape her lips. Joey opened her mouth to argue but quickly shut it once she caught the glint of malice which flashed across the perfect blue of his eyes.

She instead sat in silence while Pacey and Jen spoke, allowing the two old friends to chat happily while she sat in silence, occasionally speaking when Jen attempted to pull her into the conversation. They were eating their recently delivered lunch when Jen dropped the proverbial bomb.

"So, Joey's going to be joining us on our upcoming sojourn to Capeside." Jen grinned. Pacey's fork clattered to the table, he looked to Jen in horror and then to Joey who nodded meekly.

"Well great, that's just great." He said with sarcasm. Jen rolled her eyes and shook her head.

"I don't know why you two have to be so nasty with one another." She said. "You'd think after everything you both would realise life is too short to hold onto anger and, well fuck I have no idea what it is between you two seeing as you don't even know each other." Jen snapped, her fuse becoming much shorter by the minute in the company of the pair of brunettes she considered two of her closest friends.

Pacey frowned, glancing up to Joey briefly before looking back to Jen. She held his stare, steadfast. Pacey sighed and nodded.

Jen was his closest friend and she had stood by him through a lot, the least he could do is do something for her too. Jen now looked to Joey, silently challenging her to argue.

"Hey, don't look at me. I already agreed to this."

Jen grinned as they went back to their meals to finish in silence.

Joey left soon after to put on a load of laundry before she needed to get ready for work. With two Hell's Kitchen employees away for the summer, Joey was offered a couple of extra shifts per week which she was happy to take.

She needed the money after all, which naturally was the only reason.

It wasn't the prospect of seeing a certain blue eyed brunette more regularly.

She needed the money.

It wasn't as though she knew how often he drank at Hell's Kitchen.

She hoped to get home for Christmas which took money.

Sure, Pacey lived right across the street.

Christmas would mean she could spend time with her family.

The Apartment was thrown into darkness while Pacey wasn't paying attention, instead he sat in his own quiet reverie, his thoughts over the events of the last twenty four hours now trudged around inside of his head. It wasn't even about Audrey, not really. He had noticed she had stopped by and collected her things, Pacey had certainly noticed that and while he knew he wouldn't feel the stab of pain and despair at her adulterine behavior, he did expect to feel at least _something. _

He didn't, at least not as far as Audrey was concerned. He felt betrayed and that was pretty much it, he didn't feel heartbroken either. There was something and it was the memory of Andie and of how he felt when Andie had betrayed him; both times. This is what truly hurt, this is why he kept his heart guarded.

He still missed Andie and he loved her, he thought the ache inside him would never leave at the loss. While he hadn't loved Andie anymore when she had taken her own life he did still feel the residual pain of how she had tore his heart out without a second thought. Without delving into possible consequences or ramifications.

Pacey thought back to a conversation he had with her when he returned to their apartment after work to retrieve his belongings, deciding she should keep the apartment because he simply could not stand to be in there any more.

_"I'm sorry Pacey. I am so, so sorry." Pacey felt numb, he only nodded. He had no idea what to say, what could he say. He was sorry too. _

_He was sorry he had allowed himself to allow her to break his heart again, it had not healed quite right after the first betrayal, the scars were still there and now she had cut them open again. She had now left him to try and find a way to reseal those wounds, knowing full well the scars which would now be left behind would be much larger and more noticeable than they were before. "But, it didn't mean anything." She said this quickly, did she mean this or was it a knee jerk reaction to manipulate him. _

_It didn't really matter what it was, the outcome was to be the same. He wanted to get as much distance between he and Andie as humanly possible. _

_Pacey laughed bitterly at her while throwing clothes into a duffel bag, he shook his head in disbelief._

_"I really don't get it Andie." He moved into the bathroom to collect his razor and other toiletries. "It must have meant something Andie." He said, brushing past her to collect a few Cd's from the living room. Andie shook her head, tears began to sting at her eyes, she sniffled as they trickled down her cheeks. Pacey glanced to her and for an instant his initial reaction was to move to her and hold her. He stopped himself because he wasn't that person for her. He was not that man who could comfort her, be with her or love her. She had made that impossible now._

_Andie opened her mouth and stepped toward him. Pacey looked away from her, his body tensed beneath her fingers as she reached out to place a hand over his heart. Pacey recoiled from her contact, he shook his head to clear his thoughts, his eyes averted from hers. Finally on a breath he allowed himself one last look, one glance into the eyes of the woman he always thought everything would begin and end with._

_"No Pacey, it didn't. It didn't mean anything" She said, her voice faltered, her desperation evident as she spoke. Pacey closed his eyes briefly and stepped closer to her._

_"Andie, if it really didn't mean anything we'd still be together. It meant everything to me." Pacey tossed the last of his belongings and heaved his bag up over his shoulder. He moved with deliberation with his back to her, not daring himself to look back. He paused in the doorway and placed the apartment key on the hall stand. Walking out for the last time, never again would this ever happen, not with Andie and not with anyone else. His heart was too fragile to ever risk it again. "Take care Andie."_

Joey yawned, it was unusually quite for a Saturday night. Her shift was a lengthy one but if she had to admit it she would have much rather be run off her feet with drinks than the slow torture of boredom she was now faced with. Joey worked with another woman a few years older than her, Joey didn't really know her as she had only started working the shifts with her. Melanie was certainly nice enough from what she could tell. Long blonde hair, sparkling blue eyes and dimples in her cheeks.

Joey and Melanie stood leaning against the bar looking out over the tables occupied by a few patrons.

"Is it possible to die from boredom?" Melanie cocked an eye brow at Joey, Joey snorted her response.

"While nothing has been scientifically proven i am beginning to wonder, i think if we used ourselves as a case study we could quite possbly have a paper published on the very likeliness that boredom can kill you." Joey nodded, eliciting a soft chuckle from Melanie.

The two woman looked up from their game of condensation hangman on the bar game to the familiar voice.

"Hey gorgeous." Pacey lent over to kiss Melanie on the cheek.

"Hey yourself hot stuff." She smiled

"How's my favorite girl going tonight?" He asked her, Melanie grinned her face beamed.

"You should see her Pacey, she is trying so hard to get up and crawl." Pacey grinned. Melanie moved off to get Pacey his usual while he stole a glance at Joey without so much as a nod of his head in acknowledgement. "Do you know Joey?" She asked him. Pacey scowled and took a drink from his bottle.

"Yeah." Melanie looked between the two curiously and frowned at the tension between them, feeling the temperature drop below freezing in the bar suddenly.

"Okay then." She spoke warily. Joey rolled her eyes and moved off to clear a recently vacated table. "Could you be anymore of a jerk Pace?" Melanie questioned him, Pacey shrugged.

"I have no time for stuck up spoiled ivy league brats." He said, ignoring the frown his remark had caused over Melanie's features. She shook her head.

"Pacey if she's just another rich ivy league brat why the hell would she be slaving away behind a bar and not off have a wild summer sailing somewhere?" Her eyebrow quirked in question. Pacey's eyes narrowed at his friend before he looked back to Joey wiping tables down.

Melanie certainly did have a point. Why was she stuck in Boston working in a bar if she came from money and didn't need to work?

While Pacey was open to conceding his initial thought with regard to her current status of family money he still found her irritating as hell and bitchy beyond all belief. You certainly didn't need money to be any of those things.

That was not something he would change his opinion on anytime soon or possibly ever. He didn't like her and that was something he was not going to budge on.

While Jen had said to him this upcoming trip to Capeside with all of them there might help him get to know Joey a little better, Pacey didn't care because he couldn't think of anything worse that getting to know her, not amount of 'bonding' on the Cape was likely to change his mind on the matter. He had said that to Jen.

He did not like Joey.

He didn't want to get to know her.

That was not going to change.

_Ever._


	4. Chapter 4

_A/N - On with another chapter of Chasing Fire. Not sure when the next chapter will be posted as I am working through it. But if you want to offer some reviews it may just encourage me to work much quicker !_

**Chapter 4**

_In my defense, all my intentions were good_

_And heaven owns a place somewhere for the misunderstood_

_You know I'd give you blood if it'd be enough_

_Devil's on my doorstep since the day I was born_

_It's hard to find a sunset in the eye of a storm_

_But I'm a dreamer by design and I know in time, we'll put this behind_

_For what it's worth, I'm sorry for the hurt_

_I'll be the first to say, "I made my own mistakes"_

_For what it's worth, I know it's just a word and words betray_

_But sometimes we lose our way_

_For what it's worth_

_Behind the lens is a poison picture you paint_

_And let's not pretend you were ever searching for saints_

_'Cause I've been crucified for just being alive_

_Somewhere in the crossfire of this whispering war_

_Seems that I forgot just what I was fighting for_

_But underneath my skin there's a fire within_

_Still burning_

_For what it's worth, I'm sorry for the hurt_

_I'll be the first to say, "I made my own mistakes"_

_For what it's worth, I know it's just a word and words betray_

_Sometimes we lose our way_

_For what it's worth_

_The first bird to fly gets all the arrows_

_Let's leave the past behind with all our sorrows_

_I'll build a bridge between us and I'll swallow my pride_

_For what it's worth, I'm sorry for the hurt_

_I'll be the first to say, "I made my own mistakes"_

_For what it's worth, I know it's just a word and words betray_

_But sometimes we lose our way_

_For what it's worth_

_**For What it's Worth - Liam Gallagher**_

The temperature had drastically plummeted to well below freezing temperatures, the frigid air surrounded them, mimicking the cold dead fingers of impending doom. Pacey glanced every so often to find the scowling brunette casting icy stares in his direction within the rear view mirror as she sat within her throne made for the Ice Queen herself, namely the back seat of Pacey's mustang. Jen sat in the passenger seat trying to ignore the tension in the air within the confines of the car as they drove along the highway toward Capeside.

The occasional argument would ensue between Pacey and his blonde companion, bickering over the radio station. They eventually settled on classic rock, Jen having acquiesced seeing as they were in Pacey's car and he was driving. Joey rolled her eyes.

"What's that look for Princess?" Pacey's eyebrows shot up.

"I don't know what makes you delusional enough to think you are god's gift to women that you need to get your way all the time." She snorted. Pacey chuckled at her and shook his head.

"Hey, it's no delusion." He said smugly. Now Joey chuckled although with bitterness as she caught Pacey's eyes in the rearview mirror.

"Yeah and I bet that's why your women cheat on you." She smirked. Jen's eyes widened, she looked to Pacey, his jaw clenched and his knuckles grew white as he gripped the steering wheel.

Jen opened her mouth to say something before..."Pacey Witter; friend to women. Did I strike a nerve?"

Uh-Oh. Jen could see it, this was not going to go well.

Pacey pulled on the wheel fiercely, the car skidded to an abrupt stop on the side of the road.

"That's fucking it!" He seethed, throwing the door open and pushing back the seat. He leant in and grabbed Joey by the wrist and dragged her out of the car.

"What the hell?" She yelped. Pacey flipped the seat back, got in and slammed the door. He glanced over his shoulder and put his foot down, leaving a shocked and now abandoned Josephine Potter stranded on the side of the road, coughing and spluttering in the dust.

"Pacey, what are you doing?" Jen shouted at him. "You can't leave her there."

"Yes I can, sure I can." He said. "I can not stand that bitches attitude for another minute Jen. I'm sure she'll find a ride in no time with that sweet and loving personality of hers." Pacey settled into his seat as he drove the rest of the way to Capeside.

Joey stomped her way toward Capeside, the heat leaving her skin wet with perspiration, she pulled her hair up away from her neck as she made her way along the quiet road. Joey had stood there for half an hour thinking Pacey would come back to get her, no one was that heartless right?

Yeah right!

She had begun walking half an hour before, her movement now losing the urgency and anger from before, now she was tired and exhausted. Joey looked up to hear the familiar rumbling noise of a car up ahead. Pacey turned the car around and pulled up beside her.

"Get in the car." He said. Joey stood and crossed her arms across her chest.

"No!" She continued to walk. Pacey rolled his eyes and crept the car forward.

"Would you just get in the car Ivy League, please." Jen had yelled at Pacey the entire way to Grams' and once he had walked into the house one look from Grams and he had turned around and came straight back. He was not scared of a woman but Grams, well no one messes with Grams'.

"You know what, this is me Pacey Witter, act first, think later. You did hit a nerve and I reacted. Badly. So get in the car."

"No"

"Princess, it's at least another six miles to town, it is hot out and if you don't get in i'm just going to do this the whole way back" Pacey was slowly driving the car, keeping with her stride. Joey groaned, stopped and turned to Pacey who shot a hopeful eyebrow up at her.

"Alright" She said, opening the passenger door and throwing herself into the passenger seat. Pacey reached around his seat to grab a cold bottle of water and offered it to Joey.

She muttered her thanks before opening the bottle and taking a large drink. Pacey pulled back onto the road.

"Look, Princess. I'm sorry." He said, Joey only glared at him. "I take it from your angry silence you are not speaking to me anymore, not even an insult?"

"Nope"

"Great and how long to you plan on keeping that up?"

"How does 'indefinitely' sound?"

Pacey rolled his eyes at her. "Fine."

"Fine" She replied curtly and they continued on the road in silence.

Jen looked up from her magazine to see Joey make her way into the cool kitchen of Grams'. Jen looked past her and noticed Pacey's absence she looked to Joey.

"Where's Pace." Joey scowled at the name but gestured out into the garden.

"Mrs Ryan asked him with some help." Jen nodded and looked back down to her magazine. Joey frowned. "What's wrong with you?" Joey asked her, noting the irritation on Jen's face. Jen sighed and dropped the magazine to the table, looking to her friend.

"You must be really flexible Jo." She said to her. Joey's eye brows knit in confusion.

"Huh, why?"

"Well it's really quite astounding, to be able to put your foot in your mouth and your head up your ass at the same time." Joey's eyes dropped to the floor in shame, she let out a breath before looking back up.

"I'm sorry Jen."

"Hey, no need to apologise Joey, at least not to me any way." She said before standing up. "I'm going to go and see Jack, maybe I can convince him to come out with us for dinner, all four of us Joey. I suggest you do something to assuage the issue between you and Pacey, can you try to be civil with one another?" She asked, Joey nodded. "Despite what you think of him, Pacey is the sweetest guy I know." Joey only snorted in utter disbelief, Jen was right though, they did need to at least try to get along for their friends who had to be around them.

"Okay Jen, i'll apologise. I'll try and talk to him without wanting to stab him with something."

"Thank you Joey." Jen smiled.

Joey emerged from the cool kitchen to find Pacey leaning over the railing of the dock, staring out over the sparkling surface of the water. Joey took a breath and made her way with deliberation to stand beside Pacey, she leant over, matching his posture and stared out over the water. A soft summer breeze tugged at the loose strands of hair. Joey slowly tucked the wayward strands behind her ear as she tentatively eyed Pacey, trying to decide on which approach to take with him. Without taking his eyes from the creek Pacey spoke wearily.

"Out with it Princess." Joey scowled at the remark.

"Stop calling me Princess." She spat at him, unable to stop the bitterness in her voice. "and Ivy league" She added before he could switch to it. Pacey smirked and offered a sidelong look.

"Fine then. So, what is on your mind this time Potter?" Joey sighed and looked back over the water, feeling his eyes on her she spoke.

"I'm sorry Pacey." She said, hoping he would accept the apology, they'd arrange some sort of temporary truce for the time being and simply agree to ignore each other for the foreseeable future. Pacey regarded her for a moment before speaking.

"Whatever Potter." He said, his voice spoke with defeat, the truth was he was exhausted with his need to distance himself from her. He was sure he had never argued with someone this much in his life. Joey let out a breath. This was not going to be a simple fix she surmised.

"What's with that?" She asks, Pacey shrugs and shakes his head.

"I don't understand" He said. " You apologised and I guess I am saying it's okay, whatever." Joey groaned, this man was truly irritating her beyond all belief.

"Fine then Pacey, whatever." She huffed and pushed her body away from the railing. Pacey watched her as she turned and made her way back up the dock toward Grams' place. Pacey let out a sigh and turned back to his position, looking over the water in silence.

Joey shook her head as she entered the kitchen, Grams sat at the table with a pitcher of iced tea and glasses on a tray. She looked to Joey expectantly.

"Perhaps we might enjoy this out on the porch" She suggested, standing up to lift the tray, Joey stilled the older woman

"Please, let me." Grams smiled and stepped aside for Joey to take the tray outside. The two women sat, looking out over the yard and the creek beyond. Joey's eyes drifted over to Pacey as he stood on the dock, not having moved from where she had left him. Grams watched Joey carefully before allowing her eyes to rest on Pacey.

"That young man has been through so much over the years. Jennifer told me about Audrey, I thought he might finally have found someone, after Andrea he was never the same, never wanted to love again." Grams sighed, Joey looked to Grams, her eyebrow raised in curiosity.

"Andie?" She asked. Grams nodded.

"Yes, Pacey once told me she was the love of his life. I guess it wasn't meant to be though." She frowned, watching as Pacey turned to slowly head back toward the house.

Joey realised she knew nothing about Pacey, she didn't even know what he did for a living. She only knew he didn't go to college, her other friends never talked about him, maybe on occasion they had but not much. She had no idea he and Andie once dated, she wondered what happened.

Pacey smiled at Grams and sat down in the chair beside her, she poured him a large glass of tea and he smiled in appreciation. Joey watched the exchange between them, to she the love for dear Mrs Ryan evident in his eyes. Maybe Jen was right, maybe Joey had him figured all wrong. They sat, Joey mostly listening to Pacey and Grams converse over the few tasks he said he was only too happy to help with her which included cleaning out the gutters and replacing a few rotting boards on the dock.

"Thank you very much Pacey." She said. "I know you have a few days off and I didn't really want you to spend them working around here." She said, Pacey only shrugged and stood up, he leaned down to place a soft kiss upon Grams' forehead.

"You know me Grams, I am incapeable of sitting still for very long and always need something to occupy me." Grams nodded knowingly.

"Well thank you very much." Pacey simply nodded and moved into the house.

Pacey leant up against the doorframe of the bathroom, watching as Jen stood at the mirror applying her makeup. She glanced at Pacey in the mirror. Pacey offered her a quizzical look and lifted an eyebrow.

"I don't know why you hate her so much Pacey." Jen said. Pacey crossed his arms and shrugged.

"I don't hate her Jen, she just." He frowned. "I don't know, it's something I can't explain. She's as much to blame in this too Jen." He spoke. Jen frowned as she placed her cosmetics back in her bag and turned to Pacey.

"Joey and I are good friends Pace, can you at least try to get along with her. You might actually like her if you got to know her." She said. Pacey rolled his eyes, he didn't need another friend to be honest.

He had enough friends and even then some of them caused him enough grief, why would he willingly open himself up to more drama. He looked into Jen's pleading eyes and smiled.

"Alright Lindley, I guess I can make an effort. For you." Jen grinned and linked her arm in Pacey's

"Good, thank you Pacey." She smiled. Pacey shook his head at her smug expression, knowing he would do anything for her.

"If this ends badly I am blaming you Jen."

"Okay." She grinned and they made their way down to the kitchen.

Jen, Joey, Jack and Pacey all sat waiting for their dinner to arrive, while Pacey and Joey had an unspoken agreement between them to stay as civil as they could possibly to one another, Jen and Jack were both aware of the tension between the pair. Jack looked to the pair with curiosity not sure what was going on between the two. Jen had mentioned they were continually insulting one another or ignoring each other when it go too much. This was the first instance where he was privy to their interactions with each other. He'd hoped Pacey and Joey could have got along with one another, but after the conversations with Jen he wondered if it was at all possible.

"So Jack, what's happening with college?" Jen asked her friend, he offered a smile and nodded, while the death of his sister still hurt more than anything he had endured, Jack knew he couldn't keep living this way because it's not what Andie would have wanted for him and while just after she died Jack had hated her, hated that she would take her own life and leave him here. He had lost Tim and now her, that was not fair. He thought she was the most selfish person he had known, but after the funeral, once he was a lone to think he felt the anger disappear and he felt guilt. Maybe if he had been there for her more, he might have known something was wrong.

"I'll be there, after the summer to start the new year." He said, Joey's eyes brightened at the news, happy Jack had decided not to give up seeing at they only had one year to go.

"Good to hear it Jack" Joey smiled at him.

"Yeah Jack, you've worked hard to get there man. Andie would kick your ass if she knew you were slacking off you know." Pacey said and slapped him on the back good naturedly, Jack nodded his head knowing Pacey was right.

They had enjoyed their meal together and eventually stood to leave, as they had all enjoyed a few glasses of wine over the course of the evening they all decided it would be best for Pacey to lock his car up and they would walk back to Grams'. They walked along the docks, Jen and Jack talking animatedly about their plans for the summer. Jen was working in the _Whistling Kettle Cafe_ she had been at for the last year, Jack had decided he might get a job too, something to keep himself occupied over the summer.

Joey glanced behind her to find Pacey slowly making his way, hands in his pockets shuffling his feet. Joey took a breath and fell back to walk with him. Joey slipped her hands in her back pocket, choosing to walk alongside Pacey in silence. Pacey glanced at Joey briefly, not saying a word. After a hundred yards or so Pacey glanced at Joey once more.

"Out with it Potter." He spoke finally, Joey looked to him her eyes widened.

"What?" She said.

"Well, clearly there's something on your mind." He said. "You have that look" He offered her. Joey's eyebrows furrowed.

"What look?" She asks him, Pacey shrugged.

"That look like you want to say something" Said Pacey. Joey smiled, a small smile but Pacey noticed it. It wasn't a fake smile she reserved for him but something more genuine, he smiled back at her. They walked a few steps in silence until Joey turned to Pacey.

"We don't really know anything about each other, I think we seem to be judging to other off of our own assumptions, do you think maybe things could be better between us if we knew something about each other?" Pacey sighed at her question.

"I don't know, maybe." He said. "Do you think if you knew more about me you'd think differently?" Joey shrugged.

"I might, maybe the same would be if you you knew more about me you might see me differently."

"Like i'd think you weren't the bitch you seem to be?" Joey frowned at him, she let out a small chuckle.

"I don't know, I have to admit I can be a bit of a bitch Pacey." Pacey shrugged.

"And I can certainly be an asshole, and a huge flirt too." He laughed. Joey nodded as they walked along the road which Grams house stood on.

"Do you think maybe we could just sit somewhere and talk?" She asked him. Pacey thought about it for a moment, biting on the inside of his lower lip. One of his habits Joey had noticed and found incredibly endearing.

"Okay, I think we could do that Joey." He said, allowing her through the gate before him. Joey smiled and nodded. "How about I go grab us a beer each and we head down to the dock." Joey glanced out to the water and looked back to Pacey with hesitation.

"You're not going to push me in the creek are you?" Pacey chuckled and shook his head. "Okay then." Pacey nodded and left her to go inside to retrieve the drinks, Joey slowly made her way dow to the dock and sat down on the end of it, her legs swinging over the edge. A few minutes later, Pacey lowered himself beside her, opened a beer and handed it to her. Joey thanked him. They both stared out at the water, the moon hung low, it's reflection danced over the surface of the water as the creek moved. Pacey waited for Joey to begin, deciding this was her idea so she should be the one to begin.

"I'm not one of those ivy league brats that comes from money you know." She said finally. Pacey nodded, swinging his legs and taking a sip from his bottle.

"Yeah I kind of figured that seeing as you actually have a job." Joey smiled and nodded.

"I'm at Worthington on a scholarship, I worked hard for it too." Joey looked to Pacey. "I never had too many friends growing up, so I threw myself into school." Pacey nodded.

"So that explains your anti social behavior then" He bumped her shoulder with his good naturedly. Joey smirked and nodded, he was probably right.

"What about you?" She asked him. "I know you don't go to college but I have no idea what you do, you work a lot is about all I do know." Pacey nodded and leant back on his hands.

"I was never good at school, I actually dropped out my senior year and left for Boston." Joey's eyes widened at him, he nodded. "My older brother had a few contacts in Boston so I was able to get a start with the Boston Fire Department." Joeys smiled, the lopsided half smile Pacey had noticed when he'd first met her, he found it completely adorable.

"Wow a firefighter?" She asked, Pacey nodded. "Must be very demanding job Pacey, very honorable and. Dangerous." Pacey nodded his head and took a drink.

"Yeah, it is but I can not imagine doing anything else. My family have always seen me as the eternal loser, they one that screws up everything." Pacey shrugged. "I've always been the black sheep of the family."

"I can't imagine they would Pacey, isn't that a bit melodramatic?" She asked him. Pacey shook his head.

"Nope, they have all said it, and often. I mean when does a person start believing the general consensus about themselves."

"When it's right." She spoke softly, "You seem to be doing really well for yourself, hardly constitutes a loser Pacey." Pacey nodded his head.

"How about you, what's your family like?" He asked her, Joey dropped her head and sighed. Pacey watched her carefully, wondering if he had struck a sore spot. "You don't have to answer if -"

"No, it's okay." She took a breath. "It's just me and my sister, she has a son. My mother died when I was twelve." Pacey's face softened.

"Oh, I'm sorry. How?" He asked her.

"Cancer." She replied, it had been a long time ago and while the pain of losing her mother was still there, she no longer felt as though it consumed her as it had for quite some time. Pacey turned to Joey.

"What about your father?" He asked her, his voice softer. Joey let out a sardonic laugh and took a sip from her beer.

"He is currently in prison for drug trafficking." Joey looked to Pacey, his eyes widened.

"Wow. Looks like i'm not the only one with a dysfunctional family."

They both stood in companionable silence for a beat, both surprised that once they had dispensed with the insults they could actually get along. Pacey found he might actually like this woman, he certainly couldn't see them getting close enough to be best friends but at least the urge to toss her in the creek wasn't as strong now. He was seeing her in a different light.

Joey glanced at Pacey, seeing him differently. She realised he may not be the asshole he first appeared, they might even be able to get along. She was prepared at the beginning of the evening to fake niceties but after their talk, while not a huge amount of information was divulged to the other it was enough to peek into his life for a moment.

Pacey glanced at his watch and gestured behind them.

"It's getting late, I think I'm going to get some sleep." Joey nodded.

"Yeah, looks like you'll be busy for a few days with Grams' chores." Joey smiled.

There it was again, that adorable smile. He felt a small flutter in the pit of his stomach and grinned at her.

"Yeah, well can't rely on Jack." He said, Joey lifted an eyebrow.

"Why's that?" She asked him, Pacey laughed.

"He's not very, hands on. Let's just say our days would be spent in the emergency room if he were to take on any chores." Joey nodded knowingly and chuckled. They made their way back up to the house, the front porch light was on and a hallway light illuminated part of down stairs. Joey looked around unsure of the sleeping arrangements. Pacey jerked his head up the stairs.

"I think grams put you in Jacks old room" He said. "Jack and Jen are in together." Joey followed Pacey to Jacks room, Pacey flipped the light on. Joey's bag sat at the end of her bed. She smiled gratefully at Pacey. He moved toward the door before turning back to her.

"Night, Potter." His smile caused Joey's heart to skip, she smiled back at him and said good night. Pacey closed the door quietly behind him and descended the stars to the living room.

Joey woke early the following morning and silently made her way downstairs, the house was quiet. Joey sat at the kitchen table and pulled her sneakers on, preparing herself for her early morning run. She didn't know Capeside at all and hoped she wouldn't find herself lost. It wasn't a huge town so she decided she would be able to make it back without too much issue. After pulling her hair back into a pony tail she moved to the door. She caught sight of Pacey's sleeping form on the sofa, a light blanket covering him to his waist, his bare chest exposed, Joey took an sharp intake of breath of the sight. While she had always thought him to be incredibly attractive, it was his naked chest which had caused a warmth to travel through her body. His body was well defined, muscles sculpted by Donatello himself. Joey could feel herself blushing despite nobody seeing her as her eyes roamed his body in appreciation. She quickly left the house, taking a deep breath and shaking off the haze of desire. Joey began out at a slow jog, shaking her head and berating herself for her less than innocent thoughts concerning Pacey Witter, a man up until twelve hours before she was ready to hammer a screwdriver to the temple.

Joey made her way though the picturesque streets, Capeside was a beautiful town, the faint smell of salty air was refreshing and she soon found her way by the beach. Joey made her way along the sand to a jetty a few hundred yards away. Joey took the time to take in her surroundings as she jogged along the docks.

She wondered what it would have been like to grow up in a town like Capeside, it was different to the small town of Bellston where she had lived her entire life. A smallish town that appeared to be in the middle of nowhere, the only body of water was a large lake in the centre of the local park. It had it's own charm but was very different to Capeside. Joey meandered her way through the streets back to Grams', she had been out for a couple of hours and the morning sun was beginning to heat up considerably.

Making her way through the gate Joey noticed Pacey on the ladder clearing out the gutters. He was shirtless and wore a pair of camouflage cargo shorts which hung low around his hips. Joey watched as the muscles moved beneath his skin as he pulled out leaves, twigs and other unknown objects from the gutters.

Pacey could feel eyes on him and he looked down to discover a pair of truly remarkable brown eyes on him. He lifted an eyebrow and smirked at her.

"There you are, I was beginning to think you'd gotten lost, given females inability when it comes to directions or navigation." Joey snorted at him, raising her hand to shield her eyes from the sun.

"I really don't think you can say anything Pacey, given that you didn't even graduate high school." Joey grinned, her tongue peeked between her teeth. Pacey felt the fluttering in his stomach once again.

"Oh, that's cute." He said as he made his way down the ladder.

"What, suddenly teasings out of the question?" Pacey chuckled and shook his head.

"Oh, no, tease away you little hussy." Pacey swiped at the beads of sweat at his brow, Joey extended her bottle of water to him, he smiled and took a large drink before handing it back. "So, what do you think of Capeside?" He asked her, she smiled and looked around.

"It's beautiful here." She said " I can see how someone like you would like it here especially in the summertime." Pacey turned to her.

"Yeah, whys that?" He asked. Joey shrugged.

"All the half naked women prancing about in their bikinis." Pacey frowned at her, quickly looking away before she caught his expression.

"Yeah well I guess you have me figured out huh Potter, I only go off after the mindless sexy women with the hot bodies. Don't worry, you're safe then aren't you?" He said with a small amount of bitterness in his voice. He turned to move the ladder along the gutter before ascending the rungs. Joey's face fell, she could feel tears stinging at her eyes.

"You're a fucking jerk" She spat and quickly left, storming down to the docks. Pacey shrugged and went back to his chore of cleaning the gutters.

Pacey finished with the gutters and made his way down the ladder, he found himself face to face with the hazel eyes of a pissed off blonde. Jen stood, her eyes narrowed and her hands on her hips.

"What the hell did you say to her?" She asked him.

"Why?" Pacey moved to grab his shirt, he tugged it on roughly. Noting the anger in Jen's eyes Pacey dropped his to the ground below.

"Why? Well Pace, she's down there crying that's why." Pacey's head snapped up, his eyes widened. He looked down towards the dock and could see Joey sitting with her head in her hands. Pacey let out a low growl and ran his hand over his face.

"Ah Fuck!" He said, feeling his insides twist at the thought of upsetting Joey. "I'll go and..." Jen nodded.

Pacey made his way slowly down to the dock, his hands pushed into his pockets as he made his way, once he was closer he could see her shoulders shaking and soft sobs coming from within her. Pacey closed his eyes briefly, feeling like a jerk for what he had said.

"It came out wrong, what I said." Pacey began, Joey looked up. Her face was blotchy and her eyes red from crying, Pacey felt his heart constrict at being the one to upset her.

"What, so basically saying that I was unattractive and undesirable was not your intent?" She scoffed. Pacey frowned at her and shook his head.

"That's not what I meant at all." He said. Joey only shook her head and moved to stand up. "But you think you are the only one hurt here?"

"What do you mean by that, I said-"

"You implied I am only lead by my hormones, hey you know what. Maybe you're right. I mean i never graduated high school so I couldn't possibly engage in an intelligent conversation right?" He snapped. "Maybe that's all I am hey Potter, some dim wit who goes after the bimbos eh?"

"Pacey I-"

"No, that's fine Joey. That's fine you can think that if you like and that's what I meant. You are safe because if that's all i'm attracted to I wouldn't be interested in someone as intelligent and beautiful as you, that I don't want something deeper. Just sex right?" Pacey turned his back and started off "There you go again Potter, with your fucking assumptions." He tossed back over his shoulder and left her to stare after him wondering what had just happened.


	5. Chapter 5

_A/N - I am posting more on this as I have been focusing mostly on this story and while I will be finishing least travelled it wont be very soon. Thank you for all of the reviews, please give feedback as I live for it! _

**Chapter 5**

_She closed the door_

_She hides behind the face nobody knows_

_She feels her skin touch the floor_

_She wants to fight_

_Her eyes are tired, nobodys on her side_

_She wants to feel like she did before_

_She looks into her mirror_

Wishing someone could hear her, so loud

And I need love, to hold me closer

_In the night, just enough_

_I need love to hold me closer_

_In the night, just enough_

_To feel my body come alive_

_When my bones start breaking, my heart starts shaking_

_I need love, need love_

_The coffee's cold_

_He turned around and said "I hope you know_

_You're beautiful, have you ever been told?"_

_She's a little shy_

_As he walks away, she slowly breaks a smile_

_The skies are blue, haven't been for a while_

_She looks into her mirror_

_Wishing someone could hear her, so loud_

_I need love to hold me closer_

_In the night, just enough_

_To feel my body come alive_

_When my bones start breaking, my heart starts shaking_

_I need love, need love_

_Oh, oh whoa_

_Oh, oh whoa_

_She closed door_

_She hides behind the face nobody knows_

_She feels her skin touch the floor_

_I need love to hold me closer_

_In the night, just enough_

_To feel my body come alive_

_When my bones start breaking, my heart starts shaking_

_I need love, need love_

_**Mirrors - Niall Horan**_

Joey packed the last of her belongings and made her way down the stairs and out to Pacey's car. She hated she had to work that night, if she had it her way she would be returning to Boston with Jen and Jack instead of with Pacey who she had avoided for the three days after their argument on the dock.

Pacey had barely even looked at Joey, keeping his distance knowing he would say something to her to anger her further. He wasn't sure why but the comment from Joey had hurt him, while normally he would allow those sort of off handed comments roll off his back, it was different with Joey.

Pacey glanced up at Joey as she stood by awkwardly with her bag. Without a word Pacey moved and took her bag from her and put it in the back of the car.

They said their goodbyes to Jen, Jack and Grams and made their way back to the car in silence. Pacey glanced over to Joey and turned the engine over, he made his way out onto the street and headed toward Boston.

They had endured moments of silence before, this was different. They knew what it was like to have a normal conversation with the other instead of nasty quips exchanged and neither caring the other might be hurt by them. Joey sat, her teeth worrying her lower lip wondering if apologising to him would be well received or even acknowledged. Pacey quickly glanced over, he could tell she was thinking and maybe wanted to say something. He knew what he had said the few days before had hurt her, he didn't think she would get so upset over it though. One thing he had noticed about Joey was she always appeared unsure of herself, as though she lacked confidence. She wore loose fitted clothes, never wore make up; not that she needed to.

He wondered why she appeared as self conscious as she did, he wondered if she was always like that or if something had caused her to be.

They drove the hour it took to get back to Boston in silence, Joey sat for the entire drive with a perpetual scowl painted clearly across her face. Pacey would occasionally glance her way and roll his eyes or smirk in amusement. He did not dare speak however, knowing if he did it would surely end in her taking hold of the wheel and directing them into oncoming traffic.

Once the coastal landscape had given way to the urban cityscape of Boston did Pacey finally let out a breath of relief, knowing he could drop Joey off and relax.

He finally pulled along the kerb and got out, moving to pull her bag from the back seat. Joey quickly found her keys and looked at Pacey in curiosity as she held her hand out for her bag.

"I can be a gentleman Potter." He said as he made his way to the front door.

"I am more than capable of carrying my own bag Pacey." She snapped causing him to groan in exasperation.

"I didn't say you weren't." He shot back. Joey rolled her eyes and dropped her arm knowing it was futile and went to unlock the front door. Pacey sat her bag at the foot of the stairs knowing he would be looking to get a slap in the face if he suggested taking it up to her room, especially since he would more than likely offer some sort of lewd gesture along with it. Joey muttered her thank you. "Anything for a lady" He smiled, watching as she flushed and tucked her hair behind her ear, her eyes downcast shyly.

There it was again, the proof she was very self-conscious about her appearance, something he didn't quite understand. He was going to leave it, not say a word but then the Witter mouth took over.

"Why do you do that?" He asked. Joey's eyebrows furrowed and she shook her head, having no clue as to what he was alluding to.

"Do what?" Pacey bit down on the inside of his lip, wondering if he should explain further.

"Get all uncomfortable when I say those sort of things to you." Joey frowned and shook her head. "You did the same in the cafe the first time I met you, when I said you were beautiful" Joey crossed her arms.

"If I remember correctly you also said it didn't make me special." She looked away briefly before turning back to him "Why wouldn't I feel uncomfortable?"

"Well I said that because I was being a jerk, not because it was true." He took a step towards her. "You do realise Potter that you are beautiful right?" He said. Joey's eyes dropped to the floor as she flushed. It was nice to hear and yet she knew it was untrue, she didn't deserve to hear such words from anyone.

"Yeah right." She said. Pacey shook his head at her in disbelief, someone really must have done a number on her.

"It's even apparent beneath all of this you wear." He said as Joey looked back up at him as he gestured to her baggy t-shirt and jeans, clothing which hid most of her body.

"It's comfortable." She said. "I'm not out to impress anyone" She said, her chin jutting out in defiance. Pacey's mouth turned up in amusement.

"Clearly" He retorted. "You know that you could though right, if you actually wanted to."

"Well, if I ever had occasion to dress up and try maybe I would." Pacey lifted his brow and smirked at her. He nodded and began to make his way to the front door. He looked over his shoulder to her.

"I just might hold you to that Potter." He laughed as she scowled at him and shut the door in his face.

Joey pushed through the large glass doors to find she was sharing her shift with Melanie, she smiled at the blonde and made her way behind the bar to where she stood, wiping the bar down. Joey looked around, a handful of regulars sat in various conversations at or around the bar.

"Busy?" Joey asked. Melanie shrugged.

"Not really, but it's not dead though."

Joey nodded, taking an apron from the back room and going through the motions of checking the stock in the cool room, a chore which usually took her over an hour to complete. She could hear the noise in the bar increase in volume as more patrons entered, finishing their shifts for another day.

Joey finalised her count and made her way back out toward the bar, she tore the sheet of paper from her notepad and placed it in the till for the morning shift to place the alcohol order for the following weekend. Joey sighed and leant over the bar, her chin in her hand and her disinterest apparent. Joey looked up once and scowled as a guy with dark wavy, unruly hair and lazy hazel eyes. He tapped a coin on the wooden bar top, gauging Joey's attention. Joey groaned and stood up, making her way over to him.

"What'll it be?" She asked, offering a smile. This guy was attractive in an off beat, dopey way. He grinned at her and ordered a bourbon. Joey nodded, aware of his eyes on her. She sat the glass down, took his money and sat his change down. Joey moved over to the other end of the bar to continue slumping on the bar.

She hadn't seen him for two days, it had certainly been peaceful.

Which was nice.

Joey's eyes flicked to the door which had opened, her heart fell when two women walked in and greeted two men already seated on the far wall. Joey sighed. Dopey slid down the bar slowly in Joey's periphery, she clenched her jaw a little.

"Another drink?" She asked. He shook his head smiling.

"No, I just thought you could do with some company." He drawled, smiling. Joey's eyes narrowed at him. "What's your name?" He asked her.

"Joey." She replied, eyeing him as he extended his hand, Joey took it in hers noting the clammy feel to it. "You?"

"Eddie." He replied, Joey smiled. He seemed nice enough, a little sleazy but nice. "So, you work here."

Nice yes. Smart?

Not so much.

"Why, did the apron and the fact that I was serving you give me away?" She asked.

"No, that would be the unmistakable surly wench attitude and the scowl to go along with it." Joey's head snapped up at his voice, she grinned in spite of her self.

"Bite Me." She sneered, although with humour behind it. He laughed as he sat down next to Eddie.

"Watch this one man, she's a live one." He chuckled as Joey slapped his arm.

"You come here to have a drink Pacey or to torment me?" She asked, raising her eyebrows at him. Pacey shrugged and leaned forward.

"Hey, I can multitask with the best of em Potter." He smiled. Joey rolled her eyes and turned to grab Pacey's usual beer, she flipped the top off and sat it on the bar in front of him.

Pacey felt a warm arm around his shoulders and a kiss on his cheek.

"Hey there sailor boy." She grinned, placing empty bottles on the bar.

"Hey Mel. Oz on parent duty tonight?" He asked taking a sip from his bottle, he cast a sidelong glance over as Joey leant over the bar in discussion with Eddie. Melanie smiled, her blue eyes glistened with love for her husband and daughter.

"Sure is, i'm glad he's had a few days off." Pacey nodded.

"Well work is boring without him though." He smiled, Melanie nodded.

"Don't worry, Matt will be at work tomorrow." Pacey grinned, his attention pulling to look at Joey as she laughed at something Eddie said.

"Well I need to be off but..." Eddie reached for Joey's notepad and pen, handing the pen to her. "Maybe we could get dinner sometime?" He asked hopefully, Joey smiled sheepishly and nodded.

She quickly scribbled down her number and tore the sheet off for him.

Melanie watched Pacey in amusement as he rolled his eyes and scowled at the pair.

"Sure, bye Eddie"

"Bye Eddie" Pacey mocked sweetly, gaining the patented Potter scowl for his efforts. Pacey chuckled at her and grinned. Joey looked down at the slip of paper with his number on it and slid it into the pocket of her jeans. She made her way over to the end of the bar to serve a young couple.

"You seen that guy before?" He asked Melanie, she narrowed her eyes in thought.

"Yeah, that's Eddie Doling. A college dropout, bit of a sleaze." She shrugged her shoulders, pushing her way off the bar. "Tends to hand his number out a bit though. Don't know much else though why?" Pacey shook his head attempting nonchalance.

"No reason." He said, Melanie smirked knowingly. "What?" He asked her as she moved off shaking her head.

Pacey stayed for a second beer before decided to head back home, he left Joey and Melanie to lock up.

"You need a ride?" He asked them. "You shouldn't really be walking around at night." Melanie shook her head.

"I've got the car Pacey, I'll drop Joey home. Don't worry about her." She smiled, Pacey nodded.

"Well okay then" He said and left Hell's Kitchen, moving over the street casually. Melanie watched as Joey's eyes stayed on Pacey's retreating form, a small smile tugged at her lips. She felt piercing blue eyes on her and turned to Melanie.

"What?" Melanie chuckled and moved off to make the short walk to her car. Melanie unlocked her car and shook her head.

"Nothing." She smiled, seating herself behind the wheel. Joey settled in the passenger seat and looked at Melanie warily. Melanie started up the car and pulled out onto the street, heading toward Joey's place.

"How do you know Pacey?" Joey asked the blonde. Melanie smiled, shifted gear.

"I met him in Florida, the summer after my first year in college." She said. "He had sailed down the east coast on his boat, before he was to start senior year in high school. We became friends and well. Something more I guess." She winked at Joey who flushed slightly at the innuendo. "It was just a fling, we had the time of our lives. About eight months later I think it was, we crossed paths again. We hung out a lot as friends. He introduced me to my husband Matt." Joey nodded having met the man. "I fell in love with him instantly, must be the accent." She giggled. Joey smiled at her.

"So he sailed down with family?" Joey asked. Melanie shook her head, shifting down.

"Nope, Pacey had restored a boat completely, sailed the whole way on his own. He was getting over a really bad break up after she had cheated on him."

"Oh that's too bad." Melanie shrugged and pulled the car kerbside. She shut the engine off and turned to Joey, her face serious.

"Be careful with him Joey." She said, Joey opened her mouth to speak, she cut her off. "Because that girl, she did it twice to him. He gave her a second chance a couple of years ago and she broke him." Melanie sighed and started the car up. "Be careful with him Joey, he might act tough but he is broken inside."

Joey stood on the footpath, waving to Melanie as she turned off the street and disappeared, Joey worried her bottom lip and made her way to the door. The conversation playing over in her head. Joey shut the door behind her, greeted by a single light which illuminated the foyer, Jen was still in Capeside with Jack who had decided to cut his visit short and would travel home with Jen in a few days time. For now Joey was alone, she sighed and ambled her way into the kitchen, flipping on light switches as she went.

So many thoughts swirled through her head so she decided she would have a coffee as sleep would prove elusive anytime soon. Joey's mind wandered over the few arguments she had with Pacey over the couple of months she had known him, she felt her stomach twist as some of the hurtful things she had said to him must have been taken, how she had let slip about Audrey being unfaithful and how she had stated how his women cheated on him. She really couldn't blame him for kicking her out of the car that day. Hell she wouldn't have blamed him if he hadn't come back now that she thought about it in hindsight.

Had Melanie been talking about Andie?

Grams had said that Pacey and Andie had dated, maybe she was the one who had broken him, twice. Joey frowned, if she had why did Pacey have a look of guilt on his face when she first noticed him at her funeral?

Joey finished making herself a cup of coffee and sat at the kitchen counter thinking back to her conversation with Melanie, she had certainly shed some light on part of Pacey's past, Joey wondered why Jen had never said anything to her about this, it would have been information she would have liked to have knowledge of before she shot her mouth off. Maybe if she had known he wouldn't dislike her so much, before their talk on the docks the night they first returned to Capeside Joey would have thought Pacey hated her, now she was certain it was downgraded to large dislike, that was better right?

_The smoke billowed through the broken windows as Pacey pushed his way through the front factory entrance, the lights flickered momentarily before enveloping the interior in darkness, he could barely hear the muffled cries over the loud beating of his own heart and the laboured breaths as he exhaled oxygen through the tank. Visibility was close to zero as he fumbled his way through the long corridor to the first main factory floor. _

_A head count had revealed most of the workers were evacuated but there were at least a dozen still in the building. Pacey looked around, Matt close behind him as they made their way further into the rabbit warren of a building, where corridors branched off to secondary corridors in a ll directions. Matt slapped Pacey's arm, signalling he would go left and Pacey to take the right, Pacey nodded in the affirmative and the pair broke off in search of stray employees._

_It was the look of terror in the woman's eyes Pacey noticed well before her desperate gasps for clean air. Pacey pushed his way through fallen debris to crouch by her side, taking a small handheld oxygen tank her gingerly placed the mask over her and checked her body for signs of injury quickly, knowing he needed to get her out. The heat of the fire had become intense as the hellish flames had begun to close in on them._

_Pacey lifted her effortlessly and made his exit through the doorway he had came through._

_"I don't want to die" The woman said coughing, Pacey tried to reassure her everything was going to be okay, moving through the corridors slowly. After what felt like it could have been forever, Pacey pushed his way out into the night air. He carried her to the nearest stretcher and lay her down. Pacey pulled his mask off and gulped greedily for cool air, he looked down at the woman whose body now lay limp, her skin and clothes coated with black, contrasting against the bright white of the sheets below her, which glowed beneath the moon. "I don't want to die" She gasped. Pacey looked down at her when she clutched at his hand weakly, hoping he could offer her more strength than she possessed. Pacey felt his stomach lurch as his eyes caught the intense brown of hers. "Please Pacey" She whispered, her final breath caught in her throat as she spoke her last word._

Pacey bolted up in bed, sweat dripping from his body, the lights from the city filtered through his room, casting shapes along the opposite wall, elongated and ominous. Pacey rubbed his eyes with the heel of his hands.

"Joey." He choked out.

The dream itself was not new, he'd been having them most nights since the factory fire, that night a woman had been dying in his arms as he tried desperately made his way out, her face had haunted him even in waking. Never had another face had been substituted until now. Why now, why Joey and more importantly; did it mean anything.

Pacey sat and waited for his breathing to return to normal and his heat to slow, he mused in the stillness of the night he may have finished the therapy sessions too early. Maybe the events of the fire was affecting him more than he was willing to admit.

Pacey slowly lowered himself back onto the bed, now wide awake he glanced over to the clock on his side table. An hour before sunrise, Pacey groaned and decided while he didn't think he could get back to sleep he didn't want to risk it and have her haunt his dreams again.

It seemed completely irrational he would be dreaming of Joey, especially in such a horrific way. This had never happened in the past, he had never had these type of dreams of Andie, even when she had been in danger. It's not that he thought it was somehow precognition, but it certainly was curious to say the very least.

Pacey swung his legs over the side of the bed, the bedroom felt suffocating, he wasn't sure if it had anything to do with the dream he was still reeling from or the early summer temperature beginning to warm up. Given Boston was never anything over mildly warm especially at such an early hour, Pacey guessed it was the aftermath of his dream. He stood and made his way to the window, opening it halfway, trying to stir the air inside his room enough to feel as though he would not be gasping for breath.

Pacey stands for a time, taking in the early morning and sighing when he realises he needs to walk away to get ready for work, any more moments lost in thought and he will either be late for work or go insane at the overly analytical thoughts spinning through his head.

Matt waved to Pacey as they walked to each other an hour later out side Boston Fire House, Pacey notes Matt's relaxed expression, guessing the few days off have done him good. Pacey wished the days he'd had off had helped, instead they seem to have started some serious issues for him. It couldn't have helped he had spent them in Capeside where most of his issue lay, never too far to encroach on daily life yet not buried either that they couldn't.

"How was time away with the family?" Pacey asks, slapping his friend on the back while they make their way inside the large brick building, Matt grins and wags his eyebrows. Pacey groans and suddenly misses Audrey, or any warm female body for that matter.

"How about you mate?" Matt asks his friend. Pacey shrugged.

"Same business as usual." He says, throwing himself down on a chair in the common room. Matt snorts in disbelief and shakes his head at him. "What?" Matt only offers a roll of his eyes and leans forward against the hard plastic table.

"Mel mentioned you've been spending every night your not working propping up the bar at Hell's Kitchen." Matt raised a brow, waiting for confirmation or in Pacey's case, out right denial.

"Pfft, no. I have not been spending every night there and besides that, how would Mel know. She hasn't worked every night in the last week." Matt chuckled at Pacey's admission.

"Really?" He smirked.

"No at least I haven't -" Pacey frowned. "Oh fuck off Oz" He scowled. Matt sat back in his chair in satisfaction and folded his arms to look at Pacey.

"So, this got something to do with her?" He asked him, Pacey shrugged, feigning ignorance.

"Huh, who?"

"Legs" He said simply.

"Legs?" Pacey closed his eyes briefly, which was the worst thing he could have done, as Joey's long lithe jean clad legs flooded his mind. "No!" He said hastily. Matt laughed as Trent Darkins sat down the other side of Pacey. Both men looked to the new candidate and greeted him.

"So what's happening?" He asked.

"We are just discussing a certain leggy brunette in Witter's life." Matt unfolded his arms and leaned forward. Pacey shook his head vehemently.

"No, we weren't, you were making shit up in that head of yours Hastings." Pacey sighed, happy for his cell to cut off their conversation, grinning at the number displayed. "Hey Lindley." He grinned.

"Hey Pace, keeping out of trouble?" Pacey laughed at her and shook his head.

"You know me Jen." Before Pacey had a chance to protest or move away, Matt snatched the phone.

"Hey Jenny baby, hows Capeside?" He asked her, Jen laughed through the phone.

"Great Matt, how's that gorgeous baby of yours?" Matts eyes lit up.

"She's growing big Jen, you should see her now." Matt noted the scowl on Pacey's face and Matt grinned back cockily. "So, answer me this Jen, what's up with Witter and Legs?" The melodic sound of Jen's laughter sounded through the phone, Pacey dropped his head to the table in defeat. What the hell was Matt talking about, he could barely stand the woman. They were not even friends much less anything else, the idea was absolutely ridiculous. Pacey shut the rest of the conversation out, knowing it was at his expense until Matt handed the phone back to him.

"Hey." He said, Jen sighed getting over her last bout of laughter, she took a breath and began with the reason for her call.

"Boss man from work rang me, he needs to fix a few things up for the health inspector's visit so I have a few extra days off."

"And?" He asked in apprehension.

"Can you just check up on Joey while i'm away, in the house on her own and everything I worry about her is all." Pacey groaned, why were the fates so cruel to him, had he done something so terrible in a previous life that he was paying for all of past life's sins now in this life?

"Jen, really?"

"Pacey, please?" Pacey groaned but agreed to check on her when he could, saying it was a favour for Jen which must be paid back in full. Jen laughed and rolled her eyes when he suggested reciprocation in the salacious variety would certainly be more than acceptable.

He had also found himself agreeing to keep up the weekly lunch with Joey in lieu of Jen, while Pacey argued she would not even consider lunch with just him he decided there was no harm in agreeing. With Jen's mind put at ease and Pacey's stomach in knots they both said goodbye and promised to get together when she and Jack returned for drinks.

Pacey had suggested Hell's Kitchen because that was where he drank.

Joey worked there, but it was convenient for him.

It wasn't as though she would be working the night they'd meet up.

Pacey lived right across the street. It was a no brainer and Jen and Jack could just crash at his place if the need arose.

While Pacey knew he was simply fulfilling a favour for Jen, Matt watched him with a smirk on his face. Trent shrugged, not privy to the details of interactions between Pacey and Joey. Pacey sighed, knowing whatever his motivation to look in on Joey and to have lunch with her, Matt would not doubt draw his own inaccurate conclusions from the gesture.

Joey smiled to herself as she flipped her phone closed, Eddie had called her and they had arranged to meet up the following night for dinner, while Joey didn't find him unbelievably handsome, intelligent or charismatic, he did appear to be nice enough and she had not been on a date with anyone for over a year. Joey locked up and set off down the street.

It wasn't relatively late when Joey had finished her shift at Hell's Kitchen, after deciding to walk the few blocks back to her place while the weather was a mild temperature she had made it a block and a half when she became aware of a car slowing down alongside her. Her initial reaction was to run and hope she could find someone along the street to allow her refuge from a crazy, murderous stalker following her. Just when she was deciding upon fight or flight the window wound down and a familiar, irritatingly sexy voice called to her.

"What the hell are you doing Potter?" Joey turned to Pacey, her eyes narrowed.

"I am leisurely placing one foot in front of the other in a forward motion; generally called walking." She quipped.

"Really?" He spoke "Why?" Joey rolled her eyes at him. "Get in the car." He said not wanting to hear some feminist excuse for why she chose to wander the darks streets of Boston. Joey opened her mouth to speak when Pacey held his hand up. "We've done the whole argument of will she or won't she get in the car and to be honest Joey, I could just as soon as skip it. I'm tired and I want to get home and relax so..." Joey sighed and moved to the side of the car and got in.

"Thank you." She smiled. Pacey grinned back at her.

"You're welcome." Pacey maneuvered his mustang through the streets on Boston as he made his way to Joey, Jack and Jen's house. He glanced at Joey before clearing his throat.

"I take it Jen mentioned she has a few more days off?" Joey nodded slowly at his words "And lunch?" He asked her. Joey's eyebrows knit not quite understanding where he was going with his question. Pacey nodded and pulled the car along the kerb.

"Jen's want us to have lunch without her, you working tomorrow?" He asked her, Joey frowned.

"You want to have lunch with me?" She asked incredulously, Pacey shrugged.

"I don't have plans, I work night shift tomorrow." He said, Joey rolled her eyes. "Hey I promise not to insult you." He held his hands up in defense, narrowing them as she snorted in disbelief. "Okay, well, I promise not to insult you on purpose. That's the best I can do Potter so what do you say" Pacey held her gaze expectantly. Joey tucked a piece of hair behind her ear and nodded sheepishly.

"Okay sure."

"Well alright then." He nodded once, watching her as she exited the car, she turned back and smirked.

"Hey Pacey, just to warn you. I am making no such promises." Joey flashed a smile, her tongue peeking through her teeth mischievously. Pacey chuckled and called out good night, watching as she unlocked her door and let herself inside before he pulled away and back onto the street towards his apartment.

Pacey wondered if it was possible for he and Joey to co exist without the need to insult the other at every chance they got. Pacey noted there did appear to be a certain amount of playfulness between them and it was much better than his initial desire to gag her when they first met. He supposed she had been right, working from assumptions certainly was no way to base things off of.

Whatever this was between them.


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: Well here we are, another chapter finished. Please R&R otherwise it makes me think you might not like what I am writing! Thanks for reading everyone.**

**Chapter 6**

_Anyone but him_

_I'd rather hear you had the whole football team_

_Than have to watch his filthy lips on your skin_

_Anyone but him_

_Anyone but him_

_With schoolboy fists, we can take this outside_

_But knowing my luck that fuck could win_

_Anyone but him_

_Who's gonna take you home, who's gonna take you home_

_Who's gonna take you home, if it isn't me_

_If it isn't me, if it_

_Anyone but him_

_My blood boils as my eyes turn green_

_Is this the best of the best of the scene_

_Anyone but him_

_Anyone but him_

_With schoolboy fists we can take this outside_

_But knowing my luck that fuck could win_

_Anyone but him_

_Who's gonna take you home, who's gonna take you home_

_Who's gonna take you home, if it isn't me_

_If it isn't me, if it_

_Anyone but him_

_Look past the leather and the dash and the rims_

_And you'll see his whole hustle wears thin_

_Anyone but him_

_Anyone but him_

_He's gonna take what you can't take back_

_Then's he's gone out the door on a whim_

_Anyone but him_

_Who's gonna take you home, who's gonna take you home_

_Who's gonna take you home, if it isn't me_

_If it isn't me, if it_

_Now when she go black, she ain't never coming back_

_I'm sorry Mr. H, I thought you already knew that_

_You'll see her on a black street like Chauncey_

_I'm a bad boy like Sean C._

_Roc-A-Fella like S C._

_Keep them Apes with me like Don C_

_Like Jay, keep Beyonce_

_I'm just talking nonsey, so nonchalantly_

_See my Mark like Ronsy_

_Pop my collars like Fonzy_

_Paparazzi is on me_

_I see your girl want me, I'm filling up her glass_

_Feeling on her ass, feeling so upper class_

_And your boy, so fresh_

_I might even flash cash_

_So at the end of the night, you ain't even gotta ask_

_Who's gonna take you home, who's gonna take you home_

_Who's gonna take you home, if it isn't me_

_If it isn't me, if it isn't me_

_If it isn't me_

_Who's gonna take you home, if it isn't me_

_Who's gonna take you home, if it isn't me_

_If it isn't me_

_Who's gonna take you home, who's gonna take you home_

_Who's gonna take you home, if it isn't me_

_If it isn't me, if it isn't me_

_**Anyone But Him - Mr Hudson ft Kanye West**_

This was the most amount of ridiculous behaviour Joey had ever subjected herself to, and while she knew this it didn't impede her rising panic as she tossed clothing about. Joey stood and took slow and deliberate breaths to help avoid the anxiety attack she was certain would occur in a matter of moments. Joey closed her eyes and opened them with a renewed hold on her sanity and with careful thought she picked out a suitable outfit to wear for lunch.

Joey regarded herself in the bathroom's full length mirror, hoping her simple sundress said that while she was not deliberately trying to impress she also wasn't trying for the i-just-pulled-this-from-the-floor-and-figured-it-would-do outfit. She had to admit the soft yellow colour contrasted nicely with her olive complexion and dark hair she pulled up in a messy bun, wisps of dark tendrils escaping the band and caressed her cheeks and neck. Joey chewed on her lip and sighed, it would have to do, otherwise she'd be late.

It was after all lunch with Pacey.

She was hardly in the habit of trying to dress up for someone she abhorred.

There was no harm in attempting femineity.

Not like he would notice, he would be checking out the asses of the waitresses anyway.

Joey sighed and left her house, walking the short distance to the cafe they usually met at, Joey checked her watch and noted she was behind schedule, knowing Pacey no doubt would begin his tirade over her being late, she would insult him, he would no doubt say something back inane.

They would then spend the next hour scowling at the other in silence and that would be it.

Joey frowned as she placed her hand on the door to enter the cafe and for a fleeting moment she wanted to leave, if that was how it would play out what was the point in going through with it. Joey didn't leave, instead she took a breath and pushed her way through the entrance.

The impatient drumming of his fingers on the surface of the heavy wooden table was annoying enough it was driving him insane and _he_ was the one drumming his fingers along the polished surface. Pacey glanced at his watch, she was late. For someone who conformed to all other social etiquettes Pacey wondered why she would ignore this one, even he managed to be punctual. While Pacey was busying himself with the miniscule salt grains which bounced across the table from the vibrations of his fingers hammering he failed to see Joey enter or the lopsided smile which crept across her face as she caught sight of him.

"Sorry i'm late." She breathed, pulling the chair out loudly.

"With how late you are, you'd think you would have at least put a little effort into your appearance" He quipped, his biting remark slipped from his lips before he even looked up. When he did he noticed her face fall and hurt flash across her dark eyes, before he noticed the rest of her appearance which he then did soon after and kicked himself for uttering the words he did. He felt a fluttering in his stomach which felt alien to him, something he had never felt before. Suddenly he found his tongue unable to form words, much less a coherent sentence. She was beautiful, absolutely breathtaking.

Joey sat down heavily in her chair, averting her eyes which stung with tears. Not wanting to give him the satisfaction of knowing his remark cut her as bad as it had she stuck her chin out and narrowed her eyes.

"Well excuse me if I don't take much credence in that statement, given your predilection for baggy shorts and hawaiian shirts which look like you've stolen from a homeless guy who is still tripping on acid from the 70's." Pacey looked at her for a moment before letting out a chuckle and shaking his head.

"I'm sorry Joey, knee jerk reaction to our usual nasty banter." Pacey bit down on the inside of his lower lip, his voice became softer. "I'm sorry Joey, you look good, great actually." His smile was genuine, he reached over and squeezed her hand briefly.

Joey smiled back, tucking her hair behind her ear, she looked down with flushed cheeks at his compliment. Pacey's eyebrows furrowed and his shook his head, she really had no idea how beautiful she was.

"You working tonight?" Pacey questioned after they ordered. Joey shook her head.

"No, i'm um. I'm going out. On a date." She said nervously, not exactly sure why she was nervous about telling Pacey. Pacey lifted an eyebrow and smirked.

"Oh really?" He smiled. "So, who's the lucky victim?" He asked her. Joey frowned at Pacey's words and shook her head at him. "Aww come on Potter, promise i'll stop teasing." He grinned at her, she raised a brow. Pacey chewed the inside of his cheek before chuckling, knowing he couldn't keep keep such a promise. Pacey narrowed his eyes "It's that guy." He stated knowingly, Joey tilted her head to the side and began to play with the salt shake.

"What guy?" Feigning ignorance. Pacey rolled his eyes.

"That Eddie guy." He replied. Joey chewed on her lip before looking back up to meet Pacey's gaze, she nodded lightly in confirmation. Pacey let out a noisy breath of disapproval.

"What?"

"I don't like him Joey." He said firmly, Joey coughed out in disbelief.

"You don't like him?" She said "Why does it matter what you think?" She asked him, her defenses coming up around her. Pacey crossed his arms and sat back in his chair.

"Oh it matters Potter" He said. Joey's eyes widened in disbelief.

"And how is that, please enlighten me how who I go out for dinner matters to you."

"Because I am; as you so eloquently put it the first day we met, a womanising bastard. And as a womanising bastard, I can easily detect my own kind." He said "There is also a difference between he and I" Pacey said as he leant forward on the table. "Believe it or not, i'm actually a pretty decent guy."

"And you don't think he is?" Joey rolled her eyes at Pacey, although in truth she thought his concern for her was sweet. Pacey opened his mouth to speak when they were interrupted by their meals being placed before them.

"Joey, I just don't like him okay. So, well just be careful don't go..." He sighed and ran his hand through his hair "Don't go anywhere secluded yeah?" Joey let out a laugh and nodded her head at Pacey in amusement.

"I'm not stupid." She smiled, he nodded in agreement as they ate their meals. Pacey had to admit, an uneasy feeling had been within him ever since he saw Eddie in the bar that night.

The dream he'd had since the factory fire months previous was still playing through his mind, while he'd had that dream quite a few times, it was when Joey began to show up in it it that it really started to fill him with dread. He wasn't convinced it meant anything more that his mind picking a random face to substitute the woman from the fire with just to fuck with his head. There wasn't anything more to it than that.

They finished their lunch in comfortable silence before standing up to leave. Pacey turned to Joey as they left the comfortable air conditioned confines of the cafe. He was not due to start his shift for a few hours and the idea of leaving Joey before he really needed to caused an ache in his chest like nothing he had ever experienced. Pacey had no idea what was happening to him lately, ever since their brief exchange on the dock in Capeside Pacey had begun to feel something toward Joey. It didn't go beyond anything more than innocent, sure he wasn't disputing she was pretty, well not just pretty. She was beautiful, she was...truth be told she was absolutely stunning, with truly remarkable brown eyes, an amazing smile and soft and silky hair that made him want to run his hand through while he kissed the soft skin of her long, elegant neck.

Fuck.

He was in trouble.

Pacey pulled out of his not so innocent thoughts to look at Joey who was looking at him suspiciously while they stood a few feet away from the cafe entrance.

"What?" Joey chuckled and shook her head.

"I think I lost you there for a moment Witter." She smirked at him. He shook his head and they turned to walk together down the sidewalk.

"Sorry." He bit down on the inside of his lip, giving her a look out of the corner of his eye. "I'll walk you home." He said. Joey shrugged and nodded at him, he nodded back while pushing his hands into the pockets of his jeans.

They talked with each other easily, Joey noticed their conversations lately were becoming easier, more relaxed, with more honesty, less guarded and without the previous animosity. They slowly made their way up the steps to the front door, Joey dug into her bag to find her keys. Joey feigned looking for them even though she held them within her bag in her hand, simply wanting to prolong the time she had with him. Pacey looked around, not wanting to leave her when he looked up to notice the absence of a light globe in the recess of the porch light.

"You know Potter, you should have a globe in for when you get home late of a night." He said.

"What, there is a light in -" Joey looked up and frowned. She was pretty sure there was a globe there, she pulled her keys out and unlocked the door.

"Probably kids having a bit of fun." Pacey joked with her. "You got a spare one?" He asked, Joey nodded and motioned for him to enter. She moved into the kitchen to retrieve the light globe. "Only be a minute" he said, knowing the vertically challenged Miss Lindley would have exactly what he was after he caught sight of the folded step ladder against the fridge. Joey followed him back outside and watched as he set the ladder up.

"You want me to hold it?" She asked. Pacey chuckled.

"Pretty sure I can handle it Potter."

"Oh I forgot, you use them all the time to rescue cats from trees for nice old ladies." She quipped, Pacey looked down over his shoulder at her and gave her a wink before reaching up to fit the globe into it's new home.

Joey watched as the muscles in Pacey's shoulders and back moved beneath his snug fitting BFD tee shirt, her eyes drifted down to the perfect shape of his ass in his perfectly fitted jeans. Pacey cleared his throat and cocked an eyebrow at her, Joey could feel her face flush at being caught admiring his body.

"You want a drink?" She asked, moving back inside without waiting for a reply. Pacey nodded, packing the ladder back up and following Joey back into the kitchen. They both sat at the kitchen counter opposite one another, Pacey had no idea how they managed to get to this, a comfortable feeling around the other.

"So" He smiled, mischief danced within the deep blue of his eyes."What are you wearing tonight?" His voice dropped to a low husky timbre, Joey felt her heartbeat quicken at his tone. Her words faltered on her tongue, trying desperately for the heat to remain deep within and not give her away.

Pacey watched as she struggled with herself, he shook his head in amusement.

"What?" She asked, feeling self conscience. A low throaty chuckle came up from within Pacey, Joey couldn't help but offer him her lopsided smile which Pacey found utterly adorable and finally admitted to himself what it did do him.

"You really haven't dated much have you?" He asked her, his expression suddenly serious, the smile dropped from Joey's face and her eyes dropped to the counter briefly before she looked up, her eyes locking with Pacey's.

"What makes you say that?" She asked him, swallowing slowly. The corner of Pacey's mouth lifted up momentarily before he then chewed the inside of his cheek in thought. Pacey took a breath and spoke, knowing his honesty was possibly baring more than he really wanted, while he had spent the last two years keeping walls around himself never wanting to get close to another female he also found himself wanting to now with Joey.

"Because if you had you wouldn't feel so uncomfortable around me, someone who would compliment you or talk about things that, while completely innocent, could be misconstrued as a little more." He leant over closer to her, his voice low and seductive. "You also wouldn't blush when someone talked to like this." Joey took a breath, the sound of his voice with desire dripping from his lips caused havoc on her senses and clouded her mind of any coherent thought, being as intelligent as she was she considered it dangerous. Pacey watched her and noticed the effect he was having on her, not wanting to make her feel any more uncomfortable than she clearly was he sat back and smiled. "So either you haven't dated much or the guys you have, had no idea what the hell they were doing." He mused, chuckling as her mouth dropped in surprise. "So?" He knew there was something there, just below the surface, the reason she felt uncomfortable with compliments or why she didn't believe them. With the exception of the mid calf length dress she was currently wearing Pacey had only seen her in jeans and sweats when she came back from her jog. She didn't appear comfortable in something feminine which was utterly ridiculous in Pacey's eyes, while Pacey had a good imagination he would rather have some visuals to help him along.

Joey understood the sincerity in his tone and she took a breath, feeling comfortable enough to open up to him, hoping he wouldn't think less of her. Hoping Pacey wouldn't see her as a freak like _he_ did.

"There was a guy." She began and stood to make coffee for them, wanting to keep herself from fidgeting. She eyed Pacey carefully, waiting for the sarcastic barbs she knew he was partial to. When they didn't come she pushed ahead "We dated through senior year, well most of senior year. See before then I was always on my own, no real friends, a few but none I was close with." While Joey didn't really want to get into too much with Pacey, she decided upon the abridged version of their relationship. "His name was Adam." She said, pulling out mugs from the cupboard " At first he was sweet and charming, a real ladies man." She looked to Pacey. "Very much like you." She smirked, Pacey only rolled his eyes, judging by Joey's slightly guarded stance he was not going to like the character of Adam in this story. "At first he was sweet and charming, said all the right things, I think I was blinded by the way he treated me. He treated me as though I was special." She smiled with the memory.

"So what happened?" He asked her, Joey's lips pressed together, her jaw set and she took a breath. Turning to pour cups of coffee Joey continued.

"They end of senior year we were um...we became something more." Joey cleared her throat. "Um physical." Her face flushed as she passes Pacey his coffee, he tilted his head in thanks and raised an eyebrow for her to continue. "Then, well then senior prom happened. I caught him with another girl and I took him aside. He, he was terrible to me. He yelled at me and told me that i was a frigid tease and how he didn't know why he was with me when all i did was repulse him in every sense of the word." Pacey watched helplessly as Joey began to swipe at the tears from her eyes. "He, he said that he couldn't see why anyone would find me beautiful and he was only with me to prove to his friends that he could, that he could have anyone he wanted even the uptight frigid bitch: Joey Potter." Joey put her head into her hands and began to sob. Pacey could feel his heart begin to break, to see her so small and vulnerable. He stood up and in one swift movement was standing before her and pulling her close to him in an unyielding embrace. Joey's body stiffened before giving in and allowing Pacey to comfort her, she slipped her arms around him and held onto him tightly, his strong arms enveloping her in a safety she had never known. Joey's face buried into his chest as she sobbed. Pacey rubbed her back and whispered to her that everything was okay. Pacey stood holding her while he waited for her tears to abate, she eventually sniffled and pulled away from him slowly, looking up to him.

"I'm sorry" She began to feel embarrassed, Pacey shook his head and without thinking wiped away the last of her tears with the pad of his thumb and leant down to place a kiss upon her forehead. A gesture which felt natural for him to do.

"Don't apologise Potter." He spoke softly, calming her. Joey moved out from his arms and sat down on her stool, she offered him her lopsided smile.

"Thank you." She said to him. Pacey awarded her a sympathetic smile, inside he was angry at this stupid Adam guy for hurting Joey, for making her feel as though she were nothing. He reached across and took Joey's hand, the familiar sensation of wild, electric current buzzed through his nerves as it had the first time they met.

"I hope you don't believe that." He said, his thumb drawing lazy circles on the back of her hand as he spoke. Joey frowned and dropped her eyes. Pacey shook his head and leaned forward, lifting her chin up with his index finger to lock his gaze with hers. "You do don't you?"

"I loved him and he loved me." Pacey shook his head.

"I don't know what it was but it was not love." Pacey kept his hand on her chin. "Joey you deserve to find someone who will truly love you, someone who will make you the centre of their universe. Someone who will treat you as the most beautiful woman that you are, because anything less is simply not good enough for you." Joey's lower lip trembled with his words, the sincerity behind them almost too much for her to hear. For over three years she had replayed Adam's words in her head to the point where she believed everything he had said to her, that she was not worthy of anything more. Pacey gave her renewed hope, that she could have more.

Pacey dropped his hand as Joey nodded. Thanking him again.

Pacey regretfully checked his watch, his shift was soon to start. He stood up and looked to Joey, biting down on the inside of his lip.

"You going to be okay?" He asked her, Joey stood up and nodded.

"I am, now." She smiled, following him out of the house. Pacey nodded in approval, he caught sight of a notepad by the phone and stopped to write his number down for her.

"Make sure to save my number in your phone okay?" Joey rolled her eyes, Pacey groaned.

"Potter." He said in a warning tone.

"Yes Pacey, i'll put it in my phone."

"Okay. Good, if anything happens call me." She nodded "I'm serious Potter, just call me okay?"

Pacey waved goodbye and started down the street, turning when he heard her call out to him.

"Pace?" He smiled at the way she said it "Thank you for listening and..." She laughed "Not treating me like a freak." Pacey gave her an easy grin in response.

"In one way or another I think we're all freaks Jo." He shrugged and waved over his shoulder back down the street. Joey smiled at the way he had shortened her name, deciding she liked it when he said it.

Pacey had found he was distracted for most of his shift, all he could think about was what Joey had told him earlier in the day. That and the fact she had a date with the college dropout who he really didn't like. He had admitted a lot of things to himself about Joey and how she made him feel he certainly was not about to admit that while he didn't care for that Eddie guy, there was nothing about him he could pinpoint as reason for his dislike.

Maybe it was simply because he was taking Joey out.

Not that he'd admit that.

Maybe it was something else entirely.

Pacey leant up against the wall waiting for Matt to emerge from the locker room at the end of their shift when Lacey made her way down toward him from the fire chiefs office. Trent and Matt pushed through the doors and stood beside Pacey as Lacey held a clip board up and sidled up to Pacey. She smiled, her bright red lips curling into the gesture for Pacey only to enjoy, he smiled back, his smile not reaching his eyes. While he was always polite with Lacey he had no interest in her, despite how shamelessly she flirted with him. Pacey was not attracted to her and had tried to tell her he was not interested but she never acknowledged it.

"Hey Lacey" He said.

"Pacey, just getting numbers for the Auxiliary Ball." Pacey frowned, she looked at him and sighed. "Who are you taking, i need it for the guest list. Will Audrey be accompanying you?" She smirked knowing full well the bitch had ruined it with Pacey, not that she was complaining. Both Pacey and Matt snorted, Pacey shook his head about to say he would not be bringing anyone if he did in fact intend on going which he wasn't sure he wanted to.

"No Audrey, thankfully." Matt said. "He will be taking Joey."

"Who?"

"Josephine Potter." Matt said, ignoring Pacey's open mouth as he looked over Lacey's shoulder as she wrote the name down. He nodded his approval.

"Um, I don't. Um" He began

"Well if you're unsure, I haven't got a date."

"No, i'm definitely taking Joey." He said, mildly panicked. Lacey frowned and nodded before walking back up the hall.

Joey and Eddie had agreed to meet at a small italian restaurant, she had arrived early and sat by the window. The intimate interior caused her to feel extra nervous, it had been quite some time since she had opened herself up enough to actually agree on a date with anyone and as she waited she was beginning to freak out a little bit. She absently chewed on a bread stick while she waited, checking her watch occasionally. He was late but it didn't bother her, it allowed her to compose herself enough before he arrived. Joey looked up to find the hostess walking toward her with Eddie following. She greeted him with a nervous smile, he smiled back and apologised for his delay.

Eddie's laid back personality put her at ease and they slipped into comfortable conversation, they talked about many things, including college and how he had dropped out to help his father run his small hardware. Eddie's father had suffered a mild heart attack the year before and the doctors had told him he would have to slow down or the next time he may not be so lucky, Joey was surprised he had been an english major with aspirations to become a writer.

He was very sweet, perhaps a little on the dull side but at least she didn't have to continually be on her toes to come back with sarcastic quips like she did with a certain blue eyed firefighter.

Eddie was nice.

While they talked about a lot of things Joey felt guarded and stayed to the safe topics, she couldn't open up to him. Truth be told apart from Jen there was only one other person she had ever spoke about her past with. Eddie however seemed comfortable to talk about his past relationships.

"I'm just taking things one step at a time." He said to her. "I was seeing someone, it wasn't serious but I wanted it to be, I guess she didn't really have the same feelings." Eddie frowned, Joey nodded in understanding. Joey could see the hurt in his eyes but did not want to push him too much.

"Do you plan to go back to college in the future?" She asked him, hoping to steer the conversation away from relationships and feelings. Eddie smiled and shrugged.

"I have thought about it, I have thought about maybe I could now that my father has actually agreed to slow down, I no longer have to babysit."

Joey began discreetly checking her watch, they had sat and talked and while the conversation was easy, it lacked something else as well she could not quite put her finger on, finally after they finished with a coffee both stood and exited the restaurant. Eddie walked Joey home while they continued to talk about various things that were comfortable.

Eddie stood with Joey as she found her spare keys in the dark.

Finally beaming as she swung them from her finger and unlocked her door. She flicked the hall light on. Eddie stood on the stoop shuffling with awkwardness, Joey smiled at him not knowing what to do. A kiss on the cheek? handshake? Hug? It didn't feel like a night that would end in a goodnight kiss on the -

Eddie moved to her and kissed her fully on the lips, Joey responded without the same enthusiasm before pulling away.

"I had a nice time tonight Joey" He said, smiling at her. "Maybe we could do this again?"

"Um yeah. Maybe." She smiled. "Goodnight Eddie."

"Night."

Joey closed the door. It certainly had been a while since she had been out on a date.

Overall the date had been, well nice.

The kiss was nice.

Joey sighed, nice was good.

Nice was safe.


	7. Chapter 7

_A/N: Here we are...another chapter, might take a little while to update this as although I am halfway through chapter 12 I want to get a lot more finished before posting any more. Not sure how many chapters this will have as there are still a few chapters of the story left to tell...but as always please do R&R to keep me motivated, also keep an eye on my profile as I will update there with anything newsworthy._

_Thank you for taking the time to read my work - mistakes and all._

**Chapter 7**

_I'm trying not to feel you_

_But you just brushed by_

_And if you dare to cross that line you know_

_My toes would step on fire_

_Ohh sizzle when it's face on face_

_And skin on skin_

_I'm trying to keep you out_

_And I'm trying to keep me in_

_One hundred million eyes_

_Behind these walls_

_Watching you_

_Hearing you_

_Knowing you_

_Keep me a secret_

_Keep me out your arms_

_Keep my kisses off your lipstick_

_Stop me swallowing your charms_

_Keep yourself a secret_

_Lock up all your doors_

_I'll keep you out of my dreams_

_Just you keep me out of yours_

_Needn't not to notice you_

_But you grab my eye_

_Don't let embraces linger_

_Try to keep our arms untied_

_See there you go again_

_You're making me mad_

_'Cos I'm drawn to this danger_

_Oh, it's making me mad_

_One hundred million reasons to ignore_

_Of wanting to be with you_

_One hundred million eyes_

_Behind these walls_

_Watching you_

_Hearing you_

_Knowing you_

_Keep me a secret_

_Keep me out your arms_

_Keep my kisses off your lipstick_

_Stop me swallowing your charms_

_Keep yourself a secret_

_Lock up all your doors_

_I'll keep you out of my dreams_

_Just you keep me out of yours_

_All I'm asking is for nothing_

_And if nothing is enough for you_

_Oh leave it I said keep you inside your head_

_Under your breath_

_Keep me a secret_

_Keep me out your arms_

_Keep my kisses off your lipstick_

_Stop me swallowing your charms_

_Keep yourself a secret_

_Lock up all your doors_

_I'll keep you out of my dreams_

_Just you keep me out of yours_

_Keep me a secret_

_Keep me out your arms_

_Keep my kisses off your lipstick_

_Stop me swallowing your charms_

_Keep yourself a secret_

_Lock up all your doors_

_I'll keep you out of my dreams_

_Just you keep me out of yours_

_**Keep Me a Secret - Ainslie Henderson**_

The mid summer heat beat down as Pacey made his way into the fire house, it had been a few days since Pacey had spoken to Joey, he rubbed his eyes and yawned. The dreams of the fire were more frequent and Joey had haunted all of them. Pacey couldn't understand why he kept dreaming of her, he sighed and made himself a coffee, sitting down next to Matt.

The break room was quiet with only Pacey and Matt occupying it.

Pacey closed his eyes briefly trying to rid his mind of the images of Joey from the dream the night before. The sound of his phone pulled him out of his torturous thoughts.

"Hey, Lindley" He spoke.

"Hey Pace, checking in to make sure you're looking after yourself." Pacey smiled.

"I am doing well Jen, how about you. You still coming home tomorrow?" He asked her.

"Well seeing as I no longer have a job I figured i'd stick around Capeside for a little longer." She said, Pacey's eyebrows furrowed.

"What happened?" He asked, wondering how her job at the Whistling Kettle had ended, Jen sighed.

"It would appear the health inspection didn't go so well, they shut the place down."

"I knew there was a reason we never ate there." He snorted shaking his head. Jen laughed, not appearing upset at all by her current state of unemployment.

"The reason we never ate there was because I didn't want to eat at the place I worked." She said, Pacey nodded. He caught Matt's face out of the corner of his eyes as he inclined his head toward the door. Pacey turned to see Lacey sashaying her way in, her hips swaying provocatively. Pacey groaned and rolled his eyes.

"Pacey?" She said. Pacey held up a finger to end his call with Jen before looking up at the woman.

"Uh huh" He said with disinterest. She smiled and told him he was requested in the chief's office pronto, Pacey looked to her with confusion to which she only shrugged.

"Who'd you piss off this time?" Matt grinned, clearly thinking Pacey's meeting had to be a reprimand, Pacey laughed in reply and stood up.

"No one lately" He threw over his shoulder and made his way up towards the Fire Chief's office. While Pacey made his way up the hall he wondered if anything had happened lately to get him called into the chief's office, he hadn't done anything since the year before when he and Matt had convinced one of the candidates that single handed scrubbing every truck while wearing full fire gear on was part of his training. Chief Goodwin certainly was not impressed by this and they had both been put on notice, Pacey had seen a small smile lift up at the corner of Chief Goodwin's mouth however.

Pacey rapped his usual _shave and a haircut_ upon the heavy wooden door and waited for a response, there was grumbling, a brief pause then a gruff, "Get in here Witter." Pacey swallowed, surely he hadn't messed up lately.

"All right, whatever it is i didn't do it." Pacey paused to think about what he could have possibly done "But if I did do it, then I just want you to know that I take full and complete responsibility for all of my actions." He frowned. "Whatever they are."

"Sit down." Goodwin spoke, gesturing to the chair opposite. Pacey nodded and took a seat, looking at his boss expectantly. His expression was unreadable which was usually the case. Chief Goodwin was a foreboding man, towering over most. He commanded respect and he received it.

Goodwin rested his elbows on the dark wood of his desk, hands together, fingertips touching while he scrutinised the man sitting before him. Pacey couldn't read his expression, he shifted in his seat knowing while he might usually use humour to lighten the mood now certainly was not that time, if ever with the Chief.

Goodwin looked Pacey in the eyes before he spoke. "How long have you been with us?" He asked him, already knowing the answer. Pacey's eyes narrowed, feeling apprehensive.

"Er three and a half years sir." He replied cautiously. Goodwin nodded at him and sat back in his chair, taking a breath.

"Exactly and in that time you have seen the fire house gain and mostly lose some incredible men and women." Goodwin kept his gaze on Pacey. "Witter you are one of the best men I have which is why I have asked you in here and why I am promoting you to Captain." He said, Pacey's eyes widened with his bosses statement.

"What?" He asked him in disbelief. "I've only been here for three and a half years Sir, I don't think that-"

"Travis is leaving us as of next week." He said, speaking of Harry Travis, Pacey's current Captain. "You are to take over his position, effective of next week." Chief Goodwin watched the younger man while he digested the news.

"That's a big responsibility Sir." He started, Goodwin held his hand up to stop him, knowing he had some insecurity issues and didn't blame him as he had the displeasure of working with John Witter when John had been on the Boston Police Force, the man was an arrogant bastard and it surprised Goodwin how he could have had such two respectful young men such as Doug and Pacey as sons. It was a call from Doug Witter which had landed Pacey the job in the first place and the Fire Chief had never once regretted his decision. He knew he wouldn't regret the one he had made now.

"It certainly is Pacey, I would not be offering you the position if I didn't think you were up for it however." Pacey nodded his head slowly, Goodwin stood and moved around to Pacey. "You will do good Pacey." Goodwin gripped his hand and shook it heartily, Pacey smiled back and nodded.

"Thank you sir." He said "You won't regret it." He said, although not nearly as convinced as he sounded. Goodwin chuckled and shook his head.

"I hope not." He said as Pacey laughed nervously and left the office.

Joey ran into the kitchen to where her phone vibrated on the counter top, the sound echoed through the large expanse of emptiness. Joey caught it breathlessly as she dumped the groceries unceremoniously on the floor.

"Hello?" She breathed.

"Jo?" There was a pause "did I catch you at a bad time?" Jen smirked, Joey rolled her eyes.

"No, no. Just got in. How's Capeside?" She asked, bending down to lift the bag from the floor, beginning to remove the contents.

"Great, everyone is great Capeside is great." She rushed "Come on you never got back to me Joey" Jen whined. Joey laughed and opened cupboards placing items on the shelves.

"About what?" She bit her lip in amusement.

"Joey, stop. Your date, how was your date with, what's his name?"

"Eddie."

"Yes, Eddie. So come on tell me" She said. Joey let out a breath and sat down on the stool. Truth was she had been avoiding most of his calls and the calls she took she was conveniently too busy to do anything with him. She wasn't sure because it wasn't a bad date it was...

"It was nice." Joey stated.

"Nice?"

"Yes, nice." Jen chuckled at her choice of words, Joey had not been out on a date with anyone in the time she had known her and while Joey had divulged parts of her past relationship with Adam she had not told her everything. Jen knew she needed to get out and enjoy herself.

"I take it you don't plan on seeing him again then?" She asked her. Joey shrugged.

"I don't know, maybe."

"Sounds like you would if it was more than simply nice Joey." Jen stated "You need a date that is amazing, not nice." Joey laughed at her. "Hey Jo, i'm serious. Life is too short to be going out on dates that are nice. So, was there a goodnight kiss involved?" Jen asked her in a teasing tone.

"Um, yes there was" She smiled.

"And?"

"And what?" Joey feigned ignorance and detected the exasperation in Jen's groan.

"How was it, what was it like?" She asked her.

"It was, well, nice."

"I am detecting a theme here Joey." Jen frowned.

"Well it was. It was a nice date, we talked about a lot of things but nothing deep. He walked me home and kissed me good night, it was a nice kiss." Joey sighed, Jen was right. There was nothing special about it at all. There was no chemistry and to be honest unless he rang her phone Joey didn't think about Eddie at all.

"Okay so no earthshaking, weak in the knees kiss that leaves you breathless and quivering. " Joey chuckled at her friend and her description of a kiss.

"Jen, there is no kiss in the world that could do that to you. We don't live in a Mills and Boon novel Jen."

"Okay then, point taken but they should be a lot more than just nice Joey."

A knock on her door pulled her attention away from her conversation with Jen who had begun to talk about the church function Gram's was dragging her to, Joey lazily dragged herself off the stool and made her way down the hall, laughing at how Jen claimed Grams had tricked her and Jack into helping out. She then said it was Jack who was coerced into offering his and her services with Grams promise of cakes and slices, knowing full well how to get Jack to agree with anything came down to how much food was on hand.

The sweeter or fattier the better.

Joey opened the door to find no one there, her eyes furrowed while she looked around. She noticed a single red rose on the porch steps and bent down to pick it up.

"Joey?" Jen asked as Joey hadn't spoken for a time.

"Huh?"

"What's up?"

"Someone has left a rose on the front step." Joey bent to pick it up, looking at it curiously.

"ooo looks like Eddie thought your date was more than just nice Jo." Joey frowned and shut the door, while the gesture was certainly sweet enough she wasn't sure how her avoidance lately good be seen as anything more than what it actually was.

She certainly wasn't playing hard to get.

She didn't want to be, well got.

At least not by Eddie.

Melanie looked up and grinned at Joey when she pushed her way into Hell's Kitchen, Joey was happy for the large crowd in the bar. It meant she would not be spending six boring hours with a handful of patrons to serve drinks to. She grinned back at Melanie and grabbed an apron as she made her way around to the back of the bar.

"Busy" Joey nodded to the crowd of people gathering at various tables scattered about the floor. Melanie nodded, pulling beers from the fridge to place on the bar.

"Yep, nice and steady." She moved back to the fridge to fulfill another drink order. "Before I forget, some guy came in here a couple of nights ago looking for you."

"Who?" She asked puzzled, Melanie only shrugged.

"No idea, never seen him before. Average looking, beady eyes." She said. Joey opened her mouth to speak when a woman with bright red lipstick called out from the bar. Joey took in the woman's appearance, she had seen her around on occasion but had no idea who she was, she generally sat giggling with a couple of other overly made up women.

"Hi, what can I get you?" She asked sweetly.

"Oh, hun i'll-" Her eyes were distracted by something over Joeys shoulder and without another word skipped off excitedly, Joey rolled her eyes at the dimwitted blond and turned to see what had the woman so excited at.

Joey scowled as she caught the woman pressing herself against the body of a tall, well built brunette.

Pacey Witter, friend to women. Her eyes narrowed and she turned her attention to a man who called out. Melanie watched Joey with amusement as her eyes flashed with green. Melanie chuckled to herself.

"Hey babe" Matt leaned over the bar to kiss his wife. "We are celebrating" He grinned. Melanie cocked an eyebrow at him and tilted her head to the side.

"What?"

"Pacey's promotion." He said. "To Captain, looks like the powers that be decided he's all grown up and ready to be in charge of his own crew." He grinned. Melanie's eyes lit up.

"That's amazing, i'll be over once I get the chance." She said. Matt nodded and kissed her again, taking the drinks she had set down for himself and Pacey. "Hey Matt." Melanie called out, Matt backed up to the bar and cocked an eyebrow.

"So, what's going on with him and Lacey?" Melanie tilted her head to the blonde with the red lips. Matt looked over at Lacey flirting with Pacey and chuckled.

"Nothing, well as far as Pacey's concerned." He laughed. "You know her, she's lusted after Pacey for two years, more recently now she found out Audrey's out of the picture." He chuckled and shook his head "Why?"

"Noticed the two caught the attention of a certain brown eyed brunette." She smirked. Matt smiled at her knowingly. Having no idea why the two were denying what was happening between them Matt shook his head and made his way back over to their table.

Hours later and the bar was beginning to thin out, a few groups were still drinking. Joey noticed the blonde was still there by Pacey's side although she had noticed that while the woman had her hand on his arm or even one time she had noticed her hand on his leg, Pacey did not reciprocate, he barely acknowledged her.

Maybe it was wishful thinking on her part.

Not that she really cared.

Joey had yet to say anything more that a quick hello, every time she would try she would be called to the other side of the bar or Pacey would be pulled away by the blonde. Finally there was a lull in orders and Joey was able to get away from the bar.

Joey moved over to the table, with an hour until last drinks Melanie had already finished her shift and was sitting with Pacey, Matt, Lacey and another woman who seemed just as interested in Pacey as the red lipstick clad blonde.

Pacey's eyes lit up as Joey joined the small group which didn't go unnoticed by either Melanie, Matt or Lacey who scowled.

"Hey." Pacey grinned.

"Hey." Joey's lopsided smile caused the flutters inside Pacey to increase. Lacey narrowed her eyes and leant over Pacey, her hand high on his thigh.

Too high as far as Joey was concerned.

Not that it was any of her business.

"Hi, i'm Lacey." She smiled sweetly, draping her arm over Pacey's shoulders "I was just thinking, don't we make the perfect couple?" Pacey coughed and almost spat his beer out, he looked to Lacey in shock and terror. Joey bit down on her lip, trying to hide her amusement, she lifted a brow.

"What. Pacey and Lacey?" She smirked "Aww does sound so cute." The patronising tone was lost on Lacey and her friend, certainly not the other three friends around the table. Pacey chuckled as he removed Lacey's arm from around him.

"You need a lift home?" Joey could see Pacey's eyes silently pleading with her. Noticing the mischievous glint in Joey's eyes Pacey continued "I actually wanted to talk to you about something." Hoping to pique Joey's interest.

"About what Pacey?" She asked suspiciously.

"Um, well." He eyed the people around them "Jen." He said. Joey frowned at his.

"Is everything okay?" She asked, her conversation with Jen earlier in the day didn't signal any warning bells.

"Yeah, just. I'll tell you after work." He said, relaxing as she nodded.

Soon everyone had been ushered out of the bar much to Lacey's disappointment, Pacey waited around while Joey locked up. Letting out a sigh of relief and locking the front door Joey turned to Pacey, they made their way over the road to his car.

"So, Lacey huh?" Joey grinned, her tongue caught between her teeth. Pacey chuckled at her and shook her head. He unlocked the passenger door and opened it for Joey, She sat herself down and waiting for Pacey to make his way around to the other side. She sat grinning at Pacey.

"What?" Joey shook her head and chuckled as Pacey pulled out into the street toward her home. "So did you hear the news?" He asked her, she shook her head.

"I got promoted to Captain" He grinned. Joey's eyes widened.

"Wow Pacey, that's amazing." She said excitedly, Pacey nodded. While he knew it was a little irrational he wanted Joey to be proud of him. He hardly knew her compared to everyone else in his life. While she was the newest person to have entered his world he found she was making the biggest impression on him he could not quite explain. He still felt a strange familiarity with her and had no idea what it meant.

All he knew was that he liked being around her, the anger between them had gradually disappeared in the time since Capeside. Pacey pulled up along the kerb out the front of Joey's place, Pacey looked at the house and frowned.

"Hey, Jo. Didn't i tell you to leave your porch light on?" Joey exited the car and walked up the steps, Pacey followed after retrieving a small flash light from the glove compartment.

"I did, well I thought i did." Pacey switched the flash light on so she could find her keys, he quickly pointed up to find the light recess absent of a globe.

"Huh" He mused.

"Bored teens?" She asked skeptically, eyeing the empty light socket.

"Yeah, maybe." Pacey had an uneasy feeling but quickly pushed it aside as Joey unlocked the door. She glanced over her shoulder.

"So, did you really have something you wanted to discuss or was it an excuse to get away from Spacey Lacey?" Joey smiled, Pacey chuckled nervously. Joey inclined her head into the house and Pacey followed her into the kitchen. She arched her brows expectantly at him. Pacey pushed his hands into his pockets and rocked on his feet, Joey watched as he bit the inside of his lip. She smiled, as confident as he appeared most times Joey could still see a vulnerability in him. A nervous boy who occasionally showed himself within the man who stood before her. In the weeks since returning from Capeside they had both fallen in an easy friendship which appeared as though it had snuck up on them. Pacey cleared his throat, and pulled his hands from his pockets.

"Well, um every year there's an event. Er a small event, for Boston's auxiliary members." He began, Joey watched as he made fists at his side. "I took Jen last year, it was a fun night. I was wondering if, um if you would like to accompany me?" He asked her. Joey's eyes widened in shock, Pacey frowned. "I mean if you don't want to, it's...well it's no big deal." He added hurriedly hoping for her to at least consider it before completely shooting him down. Joey smiled shyly.

"I would love to Pacey." She spoke softly. A smile lit up Pacey face and he nodded.

"It's in a little over two weeks." Thinking maybe he may have down played the event her added, wincing. "It's actually a ball."

"A ball?" Joey's mouth dropped. "A ball would mean."

"Black Tie, so you would need to wear a long dress, and heels." He turned toward the door. "Oh and Jo?"

"Yeah?"

"A smile would go a long way too."

Joey scowled as she made her way to the front door "I loathe you." He chuckled and waved his hand over his shoulder, telling Jo to make sure she locked her door and to buy a globe for the outside porch. Pacey jumped into the car with a grin, he called out to Joey.

"Lunch tomorrow?" He asked.

"Whatever." She replied on a shrug, turning, smiling as she heard Pacey chuckling while he pulled away.

Joey made her way back from Lunch with Pacey, her phone to her ear as she waited patiently for Jen to answer. She stopped on the front stoop, a single rose rested on the step. Joey furrowed her eyebrows and bent to pick it up, Eddie hadn't called her for quite a few days and so she assumed he had taken the hint that she really wasn't interested in him, or maybe he hadn't if the rose was anything to go by. She had received two more since the first was left. Joey looked around her with an uneasy feeling, the sound of Jen's voice bringing her out of her thoughts.

"Hey Joey." She said "How are you?"

"Great!" Joey beamed, her elated mood obvious. Jen laughed "Wow what's got you all happy Joey, hot date recently?" Jen was hopeful, Joey spent too much time by herself or at work. Joey rolled her eyes and shook her head.

"No. I'm happy can't I be in a good mood?" She asked.

"Joey Potter and good mood aren't exactly synonymous" Jen deadpanned. Joey's eyes widened.

"Hey!" Jen chuckled at her friend "I need your help actually." Joey said as she headed for the kitchen and placed her bag and the rose on the counter.

"Oh, really. With what?" She asked in curiosity, smiling when Joey hesitated. She knew what this was about as she recalled events from the night before.

_The sound of the phone rattled on top of Jen's side table, Jen groaned her arm flung out amidst her sleepy haze. Who the hell would be ringing at one in the morning she frowned to herself._

_"Someone had better be dying." She groaned._

_"Oh god Lindley, I think it's worse."_

_"Pace?" Jen said up, sleep quickly dissipating in her panic. "Is everything okay?" She asked him with worry._

_"Yes, everything is fine. Well no. Actually, no nothing is fine and I think I might die." He said. Jen rolled her eyes, it was a girl, of that Jen was sure. Jen made herself comfortable against the headboard and waited for Pacey to calm down."I asked her to the Auxiliary Ball." He said to her. "She said yes which I must say I wasn't expecting, I was actually expecting her to tell me to go and jump off the docks into Boston Harbour but she said yes and now that she said yes I am beginning to wonder why I even asked her, I should have asked Lacey because then it wouldn't matter because I am in no way attracted to Lacey, she's right Lacey and Pacey, how fucking ridiculous does that sound so naturally I wouldn't ask Lacey. Instead I asked her and she said yes and now i'm freaking out." Pacey finally ceased his monologue, took a much needed breath and added "And now I am finding it very hard to breathe." Jen had listened to Pacey, biting down on her lip so as not to laugh at his small 'freak out'._

_"Ok, so you asked her." Jen smiled, pretty sure who 'her' was. "What's the problem?" Jen asked him. Pacey rolled his eyes, normally Jen was great to talk to but she wasn't really very giving in the advice department._

_"did you not listen to anything I said Jen?"_

_"Yes Pacey I did, so you asked Joey to the ball and she said yes."_

_"Yes. Wait hang on there I never said it was Joey." He backtracked._

_"Pfft" Jen snorted. "You didn't have to Pacey." She replied. "There's something about her isn't there?" Jen asked him smiling,_

_"What do you mean."_

_"I mean, I haven't seen you like this since, god. Never actually, not even with Andie and you had it bad for Andie Pace." Pacey nodded to himself and took a breath. _

_Pacey shook his head, he loved Andie more than anything in the world, this was hardly the same. He couldn't feel more for someone he'd only known for a couple of months then someone he'd been with for a few years, off and on._

_It took him quite some time to feel as deeply as he did for Andie._

_This didn't happen in the matter of weeks._

_That was crazy talk._

_"I don't think so Jen, I don't have those sort of feelings."_

_"Okay sure Pacey. You do have feelings for her though right, I mean more than friendship, certainly more that the acerbic bickering between the two of you." Pacey sighed and lay back on his bed, he laid his forearm over his eyes._

_"Okay, okay I admit to some feelings towards Joey but."He frowned. "It's only mildly more than friendship" He said. "What do I do here Jen?" He asked her._

_"Take her to the ball and have a great time. Don't push things, don't think with your head. Just go with what feels right."_

_Just go with what feels right?_

_Yeah right._

_Chances are whatever feels right would lead to him going insane or heartbroken._

_Maybe both._

Joey played with the rose she had tossed on the counter absently. She took a breath and spoke.

"Pacey asked me to the Auxiliary Ball, I said yes and now I am starting to wonder if I really should have. I mean I have no idea why he asked me, maybe he feels sorry for me because, let's face it I don't exactly have men beating down the doors to see me. I mean it's Pacey, we get along so maybe that's why but it's Pacey and he's well he's." Joey sighed "He's Pacey and he could get any beautiful woman just by looking at them, and, and smiling at them. Why would he ask me. I don't exactly exude sex appeal and I don't think I own any more than three dresses much less a ball gown." Joey took a deep breath. "I need help Jen." Jen chuckled at her friend and shook her head. These two had it bad.

"Okay, well that's easy." She said. "I'll get my butt back to Boston pronto so we can go shopping."

"Really?"

"Of course Joey, i'll try to get there tomorrow okay?" Joey nodded.

"Okay Jen, that you so much." She smiled thankfully.

Jen and Joey spent the rest of the phone call talking about since their last conversation. Finally Joey was relaxed enough to get some chores done before she headed off to work. Joey flicked the outside light on after putting a new one in and locked the door behind her, smiling as she headed for Hell's Kitchen and another shift of being a surly bar wench for the masses, wondering if she would see Pacey at some stage during the course of her shift.

She knew she had only seen him at lunch.

He did manage to make a shift bearable however, without him she didn't have anyone to tease. Joey smiled the entire way to work.

Pacey flicked through the channels on tv, rolling his eyes as his eyes skipped over old movies and some which were filmed within the last decade, which seemed like new releases compared to the crap he and Jen were subjected to by Dawson in their teen years. After yet another black and white film Pacey jumped up and looked over to Hell's Kitchen, he looked over and noticed the bar was dark, the lights outside and in the window shut off. Pacey checked his watch and realised it was incredibly late. He hadn't realised the time.

Pacey sighed, he wasn't planning on going over there anyway but, at least if it were earlier he might have had the option of stopping by, maybe offering Joey a lift home because he didn't like the idea of her walking home which she had done on occasion much to his chagrin. She shouldn't be walking home on her own and Melanie didn't work every shift with Joey.

Pacey frowned and double checked his watch, she would have finished over an hour before. He frowned, maybe if he hadn't sat daydreaming he would have noticed the time and he wouldn't be sitting here wondering if she had made it home.

She would have taken a cab right?

Well she wasn't stupid.

She was stubborn.

Pacey sighed and threw himself back down on the couch, what was happening. That woman was messing with his head, things would be much easier if they still hated each other, if they argued.

This was torture.


	8. Chapter 8

_**A/N:** Here we are again, Chapter 8 and I must admit I tend to write (by the seat of my pants) nothing is actually planned, such is the case in this story except for Chapter 12 (Which I am still working on at the moment) I also don't really edit too much, which I really should and if i thought about only publishing after a 3rd draft instead of the 1st...well it would never be put up here. So onwards, hope you like this chapter. I had fun writing it and you will notice because they did not know each other before this begins, much of the beautiful banter and sweet moments between them never really took place which is why I have included dialogue that did occur between them in other circumstances within this story ie: When Pacey kicked her out of the car. _

_Once again, thank you everyone for reading and for taking the time to review when you do. Means a lot to me._

**Chasing Fire**

**Chapter 8**

_So I look in your direction_

_But you pay me no attention, do you_

_I know you don't listen to me_

_'Cause you say you see straight through me, don't you_

_And on and on from the moment I wake_

_To the moment I sleep_

_I'll be there by your side_

_Just you try and stop me_

_I'll be waiting in line_

_Just to see if you can_

_Did she want me to change_

_Well I change for good_

_And I want you to know_

_But you always get your way_

_I wanted to say_

_Don't you shiver, shiver, shiver_

_I'll always be waiting for you_

_So you know how much I need you_

_But you never even see me, do you_

_And is this is my final chance of getting you_

_And on and on from the moment I wake_

_To the moment I sleep_

_I'll be there by your side_

_Just you try and stop me_

_I'll be waiting in line_

_Just to see if you care_

_Oh, oh, oh, oh_

_Did she want me to change_

_Well I change for good_

_And I want you to know_

_But you always get your way_

_I wanted to say_

_Don't you shiver_

_Don't you shiver_

_Sing it loud and clear_

_I'll always be waiting for you_

_Yeah I'll always be waiting for you_

_Yeah I'll always be waiting for you_

_Yeah I'll always be waiting for you_

_For you I will always be waiting_

_And it's you I see, but you don't see me_

_And it's you I hear, so loud and clear_

_I sing it loud and clear_

_And I'll always be waiting for you_

_So I look in your direction_

_But you pay me no attention_

_And you know how much I need you_

_But you never even see me._

_**Shiver - Coldplay**_

Joey lay in bed unable to sleep, she knew she was being irrational but it didn't stop her from her silent freak out, she had returned home from work to find the porch light missing again, three times. Surely this couldn't be the work of bored teens and if it was, they had a more boring life than she did and that was certainly saying something. Joey had felt uneasy ever since she had arrived home, nothing she had done had improved that feeling, even now she kept the hall light on as well as the kitchen light on downstairs. She had double checked that all the windows and doors were locked and even checked them a third time. Joey had made sure her phone had full power and had it sitting on her night stand.

She was officially freaked out.

Joey lay in her bed with her covers pulled up under her chin, the slightest of noises keeping her on edge. Shadows moved across her bedroom wall and tree branches scraped against the window in the breeze that had picked up outside. Joey could feel her heart beginning to quicken, her breathing becoming erratic. A loud crash just outside tore at Joey's last thread, she reached for her phone and dialed the number she had recently committed to memory.

She knew it was late but she didn't care.

She waited for an answer, hoping he would pick up.

"Hello?" Came a sleepy voice.

"I know it's late and I am probably overreacting but...but, there are noises and shadows and the tree outside it scraping against the window and they stole my light again and I couldn't see my keys and it took me five minutes to find it and something might be out there but maybe not but I am not going out there and um, um you said to call you. So i'm calling you." Joey's voice came out in a jumbled mess.

"Joey?" Pacey rubbed his eyes and tried to adjust to the bright red gleam of his alarm clock. He had been asleep for about an hour.

"Oh, er yes." She laughed nervously. "I'm being stupid, i'm sorry to wake you. Go back to sleep." Joey quickly hung the phone up and threw herself back down on the bed.

She was overreacting and she knew it.

She was being such a girl.

Joey sighed and pulled the covers back up, she clutched her phone to her chest as she lay in the dark, her eyes darting across the room at every movement, every shadow that crept it's way across her room, Joey closed her eyes and pushed the heel of her palms against her ears to hold off the noises from outside.

Joey lay for hours, at least it felt as though it had been, perhaps in hindsight it really was only minutes. There was a knocking from down stairs, Joey opened her eyes, the knocking came again. Joey held her breath and sat up.

Psychopathic murderers didn't knock right?

Joey silently slipped from beneath the covers and slowly tip toed down the stairs. She stood at the top of the landing, unsure of what to do next.

"Open the door Potter!" Joey let out a breath of relief and ran to the door, unlocked it and threw it open and with out further thought Joey hurled herself into Pacey's arms. Joey closed her eyes and pulled Pacey closer to her, she felt the warmth and security as Pacey, suddenly out of his daze to respond did so by enveloping her in his arms, holding her tightly against him. They stayed for a beat before Joey finally pulled back with embarrassment.

"You didn't have to come." She said sheepishly, her eyes dropping to the ground . Pacey chuckled and shrugged.

"You seemed pretty upset Jo, I figured I could at least humour you by checking under the beds and in the closets." He shrugged. Joey looked up to him and offered a half smile. Pacey looked down at her and noticed that with her sheep sleep shorts and pale yellow tank top she looked beautiful, even while her hair was mussed from sleep she was absolutely breathtaking. Pacey's eyes narrowed as he regarded Joey's wide eyes. He looked down to where she concentrated her gaze and found in the dim light of the hallway a single rose on the stoop. Pacey leant down to pick it up, he observed it with curiosity. Pacey looked to Joey and quirked an eyebrow.

"Secret admirer?" While he joked Joey took a deep breath and looked around them, she gripped Pacey's hand and pulled him unceremoniously into the house, firmly shut and locked the door. Pacey watched Joey carefully. Her face was visibly pale and Pacey could see the fear in her eyes.

"Jo?" He stepped closer and put his hands on her upper arms. Joey relaxed under the warmth of his hands as skin connected with skin, allowing her to soften enough to form a sentence.

"This isn't the first one" She said, making her way back toward the light of the kitchen. Pacey followed closely behind her.

"The rose?" He asked her, catching sight of a similar one on the counter, wilted but still recognisable. She only nodded. Pacey shook his head.

"How many?" He asked her.

"Three, before these" She said and sat herself on the stool, rubbing at her temples. Pacey sat the rose on the counter and leaned against it, his arms crossed.

"When did they start?" He asked with caution. Joey worried her bottom lip.

"Maybe around the time the lights started going missing." She said, Pacey cocked an eyebrow. "About the time I met Eddie." She added. Pacey took a breath.

"And you think these are from him?" Joey only shrugged.

"I don't know. I mean it was one date Pacey and, I have been avoiding him ever since. He hasn't called for days." Pacey nodded, trying to hide the small smile on his lips at Joey's admission, secretly glad nothing had eventuated between Joey and 'that eddie guy'. "I know i'm being irrational, maybe overly irrational and a bit of a -"

"Skittish kitten?" He smirked as Joey poked her lip out in petulance. A soft chuckle escaped his lips. Joey felt herself relax considerably and finally as the fear left her she realised she was sitting in her pajamas at almost three in the morning with Pacey who was wearing a black sleeveless undershirt and a pair of black and blue plaid sleep pants, Joey averted her eyes as he uncrossed his arms to place his hands on the counter behind him, his muscles in his arms and chest moving beneath taut skin. Joey's breathing quickened which had nothing to do with her recent adrenaline from her earlier fear.

Pacey looked around and rubbed his chin in thought, he moved through the house checking the window locks.

"Everything is secure Joey, you're safe." He noticed the trepidation painted on Joey face and yawned. "Maybe you should try to get some sleep" He said, Joey nodded her head as she chewed on her lip. "I'll sleep in Jack's room." Joey relaxed considerably and offered Pacey a smile.

"Thank you Pacey." He nodded and followed Joey up stairs to the bedroom.

"You okay now Jo?"

"Yes, much better"

Pacey nodded and entered Jack's room, Joey made her way to her own, feeling the anxiety she had felt most of the night slip away as she slid beneath her covers and closed her eyes.

The incessant scratching of branches against the window pane pulled Joey from sleep, she looked around her. Shadows danced about the room, while Joey knew she was safe she could feel a foreboding begin to creep in, Joey pulled the covers over her, wondering why she was so anxious. She wasn't one to be scared of the dark, well not really. The feelings she was feeling now appeared to border on completely irrational. A car back fired, Joey yelped and jumped to her feet, scurrying across the hall to stand at Jacks open doorway.

"Pacey?" She whispered. When no answer followed she stepped further into the room "Pace?" Her voice was just above a whisper, laced with an anxious urgency. Pacey mumbled something. Joey stepped forward "You awake?"

"Nope" He said sarcastically as he rubbed his eyes, the light filtering through from the street lights allowed Pacey to see her, while not incredibly well, well enough to see the fear in her eyes. Her eyes were large and reminded him of a young child. Pacey found himself smiling. "Potter, what's wrong?" He asked her, rubbing his face.

"I'm kind of freaking out." She admitted and stepped closer to the bed.

"You think?" Pacey sighed. "You're safe Jo, I checked the locks." Pacey cocked an eyebrow as he watched Joey move to sit on the edge of the bed next to him.

"Can I just, can I sit here for a while Pacey?" She asked him, Pacey yawned.

"You need to try and go get some sleep." Pacey looked at the clock on Jacks side table, it had only been forty five minutes since they laid down. She nodded.

"I know, I will. I just want to sit here for a bit. You go to sleep." Pacey shrugged and yawned again, closing his eyes.

The sound of tom cats fighting in the street caused the bed to jolt beneath Joey as she yelped again, Pacey bit his lip trying to stop himself from laughing. The impeding laughter quickly left him once a slight panic overtook his body as he became aware of Joey scrambling beneath the covers and burying her head into his shoulder, her body pressed up against him so close he could feel her heart beating rapidly against his own, while her heart fueled by fear, the accelerated speed of his own having nothing to do with fear.

Pacey willed his body not to react to her closeness, instinctively he brought his arm over to drape around her protectively.

"Shh" He comforted her "Go to sleep Jo." Pacey kissed her softly on the forehead and they both closed their eyes and slipped into a peaceful sleep.

The morning sun streamed through the windows, bathing the room in light. Pacey's eyes fluttered as he began to awake, momentarily disoriented he attempted to sit up but failed to due to a weight on his chest. Pacey yawned and rubbed his eyes, slowly he opened them and looked down to find Joey's arm around his middle, her head on his chest. He smiled down at how beautiful she looked when she slept.

Pacey lay watching her sleep, content to lie there with her in his arms. Joey stirred and opened her eyes, the feel of Pacey's chest beneath her and his strong arms around her back helped her to feel the safest she had ever felt, she smiled to herself and slowly pulled away to sit up.

"Hey." Pacey smiled at her.

"Hey" Joey smiled sheepishly and stood up, looking everywhere but at Pacey, she could feel his eyes on her. "Thank you for last night." She said. Pacey nodded and stood up next to her, "i'll make some coffee". Pacey frowned as he watched her retreat quickly from the room, he scratched at his temple and shook his head.

Pacey made his way down into the kitchen where Joey was busying herself with changing the coffee filter, not once looking up to Pacey. He said on the kitchen stool and watched her carefully, finally he sighed.

"What's wrong Potter?" Asked Pacey, willing for her to look at him. When she didn't Pacey could feel his irritation begin to surface, he wasn't really sure why. " Okay then Joey, whatever. Why are you acting so uncomfortable around me?" He said standing up.

"I don't know." She said weakly, still not looking at him which began to anger him more.

"Hey well, don't think I ever cared here Potter, I was only doing Jen a favour" He said, his voice filled with hurt and bitterness.

"Jen?" Joey's eyes finally locked with Pacey's.

"Yes, Jen. You know looking out for you. She asked me to while she was away."

"So you guys just traded me off like some sort of baseball card?" Her voice raised above the usual conversation volume. "I need someone to babysit me, is that what this is about?" She said, her words sounding hurt as she spoke them.

"What?" Pacey shook his head.

"Us. You and me." She gestured between them "I thought that..."

"You thought what?" His voice lowered and his eyebrows furrowed at her possible innuendo. She shook her head and turned back to the coffee machine.

"I guess I thought something else, Pacey."

Pacey left soon after, deciding to leave before he slipped into their previous routine of ornery insults, throwing them about without consideration. It was either that or he could do something far worse and more damaging;

Admit his growing feelings for her.

Joey spent the morning, stamping her feet and slamming things down in irritation. It was not as though they were the best of friends, but to know he was only spending time with her because Jen had asked him to made her feel terrible. Pacey clearly had better things to do then to baby sit her, Joey sighed.

Of course there was some other reason for him to see her all those times, just checking up on her to make sure she didn't burn the house down or get lost on her way home from work. She wasn't a child, she didn't need this.

By mid morning Joey was showered and dressed and was now waiting for Jen to arrive. Joey began to wonder if attending the ball with Pacey was such a good idea, was this another one of Jen's favours?

It had to be, Pacey could take anyone he wanted, so why would he want to take her?

She knew he cared for Jen and would do anything for her so if she asked him to he would take Joey to the ball without hesitation. Joey frowned, it certainly was not a good feeling knowing she was Jen Lindley's little charity case. The sound of Jack's car as it pulled up to the kerb pulled Joey's attention away from her thoughts of self pity.

"Hey Jo." Jen beamed happily, rushing to her friend to embrace her.

"Hey Jen" She smiled, looking around "Where's Jack?" She asked, Jen waved her hand around.

"Getting our bags" She grinned. "Good to be home." She said. Joey nodded at her friend.

"So you're not going back to Capeside?" Joey asked her as they made their way into the kitchen. Jen shook her head at Joey who smiled, inwardly relieved they were home. The last few nights had wreaked havoc on her emotions, the missing lights, the single roses left.

"I can handle only so many church groups Grams' hosts, besides Jack was ready to come home." Jen's eyes narrowed at Joey who was lost in thought "You okay Joey?" She asked her with concern, Joey shook herself out of her thoughts, a memory from a few years ago. The realisation of what it meant washed over her, she felt her heart begin to beat rapidly.

_"Come on Joey, it's all in the spirit of the holiday" Anna Evans grinned at Joey with a mischevious glint in her eyes. Joey offered a nervous chuckle and looked up at the house. She followed Anna up to the porch of the old home of Mr Granger, Bellstons very own Ebenezer Scrooge. The old man who would yell at charity workers and snatch and stomp on cookies being sold by Girl Guides. "Besides we've already removed the light globes from every porch light in the street." She said. Joey rolled her eyes and nodded._

_"Well, well. What do we have here?" Came a voice behind them. Anna and Joey spun around. Anna chuckled while Joey's face softened._

_"Hey Adam." She smiled walking over to kiss him lightly._

_"I thought you two had gotten over Halloween pranks" He asked chuckling, his hand revealing what he had held behind his back. Joey accepted the single red rose, bringing it to her nose and inhaling the sweet scent. She murmured a thank you against his lips as Anna placed the globe in her large bag._

_She handed Joey a roll of toilet paper and winked at her._

_"Well we were just reliving our youth." She smiled._

A hand on her arm pulled her out from her brief journey to her past. Joey's eyes refocused on Jen, her eyes wide with the memory. Jen tilted her head to the side, regarding her friends expression. Joey smiled at Jen in reassurance, nodding her head.

"Yeah i'm. I'm fine." Her smile didn't reach her eyes and she hoped Jen would accept it. Jen nodded her head slowly and with apprehension. She knew there was something bothering her but chose to ignore it for the moment.

"Okay, so we had better get a move on Joey if we are going to find the perfect dress for the Auxiliary Ball." Jen beamed, the usual light which sparkled in her eyes at the very mention of shopping burned bright, Joey laughed and nodded, moving to grab her bag they left the house arm in arm, deciding on walking instead of taking the car.

As they walked Jen noticed Joey had slipped into a silence, she could almost hear the cogs inside her head ticking over.

"Okay, Jo. What's on your mind?" She asked her. Joey looked down to her friend in surprise.

"What do you mean?" Jen only gave her a pointed look in which Joey responded with a heavy sigh. "I know all about the friend-swapping arrangement." She said to Jen, who furrowed her brows trying to recollect what Joey could be referring to. She then recounted the call she had put into Pacey not too long ago.

"Joey, that's not how it was and you know it." She said.

"I know that I don't have a social life out side of you and Jack but I never asked for your pity." Joey said, her voice was soft although it held a small amount of bitterness within it, she knew it wasn't about Jen but about Pacey and his reason's for them spending time together.

"It wasn't, it wasn't about pity Jo. I wanted you to have someone you could turn to. I couldn't be there for you. Now tell me where's the harm in that?"

"Well it just would have been nice if that someone could have metered a shred of genuine concern, Jen."

Jen shook her head as they continued on their way. She huffed out an exasperated breath and stopped, her hand on Joey's arm stilling her in her forward momentum.

"Jo, I know that you don't know him very well but if you did you would know that Pacey doesn't do things unless he wants to. It's obvious by his actions that he's got a hell of a lot more than a shred of concern. Why are you doing this?" She asked her. Joey shook her head.

"Doing what?"

"Casting aspersions on people, he's obviously enough of a friend to you to want to be there for you Joey, just like me. I don't know why you close yourself off to people." Joey frowned at Jen's words, she knew she was right.

Most of her life was spent with only Anna as her friend and then Adam, but after everything feel apart with him she just couldn't get close to another person. It took her sister Bessie a lot to get Joey to open up to her and when she did it wasn't for very long, Joey usually retreated back into herself.

Joey sighed, nodding her head as they began walking once more.

The cool salted air coming in from the harbour came to rest against the girl's heated skin. They made their way into another over priced boutique, Joey was certain it was the twentieth place they had visited, all of them stocked with the most hideous attire ever known to a woman with sight. Jen however said Joey was being far too fussy and was really using it as an an excuse to weasel her way out of attending.

Jen and Joey stood either side of yet another clothing rack laden with beautiful, elegant dresses. Joey's scowl told Jen if they didn't find a dress and soon this was all going to be abandoned very quickly.

"This" Jen spoke, pushing a hanger with a long, simply designed blood red evening gown at Joey. She looked to Jen with wide eyes.

"Oh I don't think so Jen, this is a little...I don't think so." Joey regarded the gown with fear, she would never wear something like what Jen was offering. A fitting dress with a slit up the side which travelled almost to the hip. Joey shook her head.

"It's very sexy Jo, you will turn all heads if you arrive in this" She was grinning, a twinkle of mischievousness in her bright hazel eyes. Joey shook her head, put her head down trying desperately to find another, less revealing gown. "Try it on at least." She smiled. Joey gulped audibly and chewed on her lower lip, before she knew it she was nodding her head and moving to the back toward the dressing rooms.

Jen tapped her foot while she waited for Joey to finish.

"How you going in their?" She smirked as she heard the barely audible grunting and expletives slipping forth from Joey's mouth. Joey sighed, scrutinising her reflection in the full length mirror. She shook her head, it was extremely snug, not tight but certainly snug. Never in her wildest dream would she ever think to wear something like this. She slowly pulled the door back to Jen, who 's eyes widened in shock before a slow grin crossed her head and she nodded to her friend. Joey shook her head.

"I can't wear this Jen" She choked out "It looks like someones poured me into it and forgot to say when." She frowned, looking at herself in the mirror and tugging at the plunging neckline so as not to reveal too much cleavage. Jen swatted her hand away and readjusted the dress.

"Oh this is it Jo, this is definitely it." She smiled, nodding her head enthusiastically. Holding up a pair of strappy red heels "And to finish him - er it off" She grinned, Joey quirked an eyebrow at her friends slip up and sighed. "Pacey's tall, so you can definitely get away with heels this height." Jen said handing them over to her.

"Well to be honest Jen" Her brows furrowed "I'm more concerned with wearing these and not breaking my neck"

Jen only chuckled at Joey as she chewed on her lower lip in contemplation before a final nod and moving to place the items on the counter to be rung up by the bored assistant, who stood, scratching at her newly painted nails. She looked up in mild reproach while moving with exaggeration to punch her purchases into the til. Once Joey paid for her dress and shoes, she and Jen found themselves on the busy sidewalk, the sun shone high above them, the breeze did nothing to remove the stickiness from their skin. They made their way through the sea of moving bodies on their way back home. Initially Joey felt brave, purchasing the gown with false gallantry, which appeared to be fading quickly and she now began to question her state of mental health.

Joey looked up from clearing a table to watch as Dawson moved into the bar to sit alongside Jen and Jack later that evening, she offered him a small wave of her hand which he returned with more enthusiasm then she had witnessed in the weeks after Andie's death. She was relieved to find along with Jack, Dawson appeared to be trying to find his way back out of the despair he had found himself in. Joey and Dawson were not close by any means but she had found over the months she had known him they were beginning to talk a lot more with one another, feel more comfortable. Possibly even become friends instead of a friend of a friend. Certainly he would never be that person she would divulge her deep thoughts or insecurities to, that it would only ever be light hearted on the surface discussions, nothing personal at all.

She had those with Jen, Jack as well to a certain extent. She was beginning to have that with Pacey, to be honest she had told Pacey more about herself in the time she had known him than she had to Jen. When he had revealed to her he was looking out for her as a favour to Jen it had felt like a kick to the stomach, that he was not the friend he purported himself to be. He was really just her temporary keeper until Jen had returned, while Jen had attempted to quash her insecurities on that issue she really didn't know what to think seeing as he had not done or said anything to make her think otherwise. She hadn't seen or spoken to him since he had left in a huff that morning.

Joey frowned, lost in thought. Jen made her way over to the bar to say good night to Joey, she and Jack had decided to catch a movie.

"You want me to swing by after the movie and pick you up after your shift?" Jen tilted her head to the side, asking Joey. She shook her head.

"No, i'll be fine." She said, although the last few days had made her feel on edge she could hardly expect her friends to drop everything to give her rides home from work. Jen clucked her tongue, thinking it over before she nodded.

"Okay, well make sure you don't walk Jo." She said, Joey offered her a roll of the eyes, nodding her head.

"Yes mother." She smirked.

It was close to midnight when Joey realised the lights shone from Pacey's apartment windows, she absently chewed on her lip wondering if she should go over after her shift to apologise for her part in the argument earlier in the day. Joey's head snapped up at the sound of breaking glass and frowned, Dawson had chosen to stay at the bar in lieu of attending the movie with Jack and Jen. He swayed dangerously on his bar stool despite Joey having cut him off over an hour previously after he had picked a fight with two men who were far bigger and more sober than he. Joey sighed and moved to clean up his mess.

"Oh so sorry Joey" He slurred, staggering as he removed himself from the stool, his eye lids heavy and his eyes unfocused. Joey waved him off and shook her head.

"Maybe i'll call you a cab Dawson?" She asked him as she moved to serve a couple sitting at the bar. Dawson grumbled something beneath his breath and sat down on his stool heavily. Joey sighed, wondering how easily it was going to be to get him out of the bar when it was time to close which was within the hour.

Joey glanced up to notice a scowl firmly painted on Dawson's face, his bleary and unfocused eyes still managing to recognise the tall figure as he made his way into the bar. Joey turned her gaze to the door and noticed the hateful scowl on Pacey's face as he looked to the drunken blonde swaying on his stool. Joey swallowed with apprehension, knowing there was a great amount of acrimony between the two men, not having any idea as to why.

Pacey stood just inside the doorway, his hands clenching into fists by his sides, his chest heaved in anger as he desperately attempted to reign in the growing emotions at seeing Dawson. Pacey let out a breath and allowed his eyes to move across the interior of Hell's Kitchen until the rested on Joey's form leaning over the bar. His face softened and he made his way with hesitation over to Joey.

Joey's mouth tilted up at the corner to offer him a small, sheepish smile.

"Hey" Her voice was barely above a whisper and filled with apprehension. Pacey sat down on the stool opposite her.

"Hey" He replied, biting the inside of his lip he sat regarding her for a beat before speaking. "I'm sorry." He said softly, his blue eyes locked firmly on her, the sincerity in them easing Joey's mind. Joey opened her mouth to speak, her head snapping up at the bitter voice as it cut through their connection.

"You broke her, you know that right?" Pacey's eyebrow quirked up as he slowly turned his head to find Dawson wobbling on unsteady limbs behind him. Joey's brows knit at his statement, she noticed the clenching of Pacey's jaw and his shoulders begin to tense.

"Back off Dawson." Pacey spat and turned back, his eyes which had previously showed her a softness in them now only portrayed a deep and unyielding stormy ocean. An intensity so strong Joey cringed inwardly as alarm bells went off in her head, wondering if she was going to be able to get these two men out before any blood was to be shed. Dawson fueled by alcohol and misplaced bravado continued with his angry tirade.

"She was always so sweet and loving, but you...you bro-"

The stool crashed to the floor as Pacey stood up abruptly and spun around, towering over Dawson, while in height he had a few inches over the other man, in build and certainty of self he was much bigger. He shook his head, his eyes dark with rage as he looked down at Dawson.

"What the fuck do you think you are doing Dawson?" Pacey's hands were beginning to clench into fists at his sides, his looming build tense and unwavering. Dawson blinked, his demeanor faltering while he took in the unmistakable look in Pacey's eyes. Knowing he had a propensity to allow his mouth to shoot off words he physically was unable to deal with if things moved to that point he opened his mouth to speak.

"You are not going to bring up past vendettas here" Joey had found herself standing between the men, a hand on each of their chests, desperately trying to keep them away from the other. She had no idea what these two had against the other and at the moment she didn't care, she didn't need a fight to break out. She turned to Pacey, her eyes hard as she pushed at him.

"Pacey, leave."

"What?"

"Just leave please."

Joey's deep brown eyes looked to him with pleading, Pacey opened his mouth to speak, he quickly clamped his lips tightly shut and gave a wry smirk, shaking his head in disbelief while he turned to leave without a word. It would certainly figure, Dawson Leery would get the sympathy, the grieving boyfriend while Pacey would remain the heartless bastard.

At least it was what he figured how Joey saw him. Pacey made his way to the door, he glanced briefly over his shoulder and found Joey and Dawson talking in hushed tones. He laughed to himself, pushing the door open with more force then he intended on.

"Joey watched Pacey walk across the street to his apartment before Dawson's voice brought her attention to him.

"He's an insensitive prick, if it weren't for him she'd still be here." He sneered, Joey's eyes narrowed at Dawson. "I can't be angry at her because she's dead, but i can still be angry at him, i can because he doesn't matter. She did she meant everything." Dawson sniffled and slumped onto the bar stool with defeat. Joey frowned and pulled her phone from her pocket to call a cab for Dawson to get home.

Joey shut the door to the cab and waved to Dawson as he sat in the car on his way to his apartment. She turned to move back through the entrance of Hell's Kitchen, thankful for the end of her shift. Joey moved to lock the night's takings to the safe in the back room, she turned the lights on and locked the door behind her. Joey turned and looked up to the window of Pacey's apartment, she sighed. She had to talk to him, to apologize for pushing him away earlier and to have a conversation about earlier in the day.

Joey took a breath, pushing her hands into her back pockets, taking a step off the curb towards his apartment she stopped, her face falling as the lights were distinguished in his apartment windows. Joey frowned, stepping back up onto the sidewalk and turned towards the opposite direction, a glance over her shoulder of regret as she moved off down the dark street.


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N - I know this has taken a while to update but my internet provider took well over a month the fix my internet issue but it is back now! So I might even post two chapters to reward you all for being so patient. Please R&R!**

**Chapter 9**

_When they call your name_

_Will you walk right up?_

_With a smile on your face?_

_Will you cower in fear?_

_In your favorite sweater_

_With an old love letter_

_I wish you would_

_I wish you would_

_Come pick me up_

_Take me out_

_Fuck me up_

_Steal my records_

_Screw all my friends_

_They're all full of shit_

_With a smile on your face_

_And then do it again_

_I wish you would_

_When you're walking downtown_

_Do you wish I was there_

_Do you wish it was me_

_With the windows clear_

_And the mannequins eyes_

_Do they all look like mine_

_You know you could_

_I wish you would_

_Come pick me up_

_Take me out_

_Fuck me up_

_Steal my records_

_Screw all my friends_

_Behind my back_

_With a smile on your face_

_And then do it again_

_I wish you would_

_I wish you'd make my bed_

_So I could make up my mind_

_Try it for sleeping instead_

_Maybe you'll rest sometime_

_Oh, I wish I could_

_I wish I could_

_I wish I could_

_**Come Pick Me Up - Ryan Adams**_

Most of the night was spent in fitful sleep, Dawson's accusations played over in his mind from that night. Pacey didn't want to admit it, he had tried so hard to push the guilt down and thought he had succeeded in doing so until Dawson had begun his diatribe. They had already had the argument the day of the funeral, Dawson had stood on his soapbox, waxing indignant over her death, of how she had pulled away and retreated into herself.

All because of Pacey.

All because she couldn't let him go.

Pacey sat on the couch, hunched over with an intense pain beginning behind his eyes, he couldn't get the last conversation with Andie out of his head, He had spent two years purging all feelings for her from his system, he had succeeded until she had come to him one night; a week before she had taken her life.

It had taken two years for him to put the pieces of his heart back together.

One conversation with her and he had almost lost, he had almost fallen back into the trap.

Almost.

_Pacey swung the door open in haste, knowing if he didn't leave now he would be late for lunch with Jen. Andie stood, her hand in mid air, ready to knock. She looked tired, tired as though she had spent the entire night awake. Pacey narrowed his eyes at her his head tilted to the side in silent question._

_Andie bounced on her heels nervously in the doorway._

_"Hi Pacey" They had not spoken to each other in months, the times they had it was bitter and laced with anger. Pacey didn't really want to see her and while now he didn't hold the same anger toward her that he had, he certainly was not about to call them friends._

_"What are you doing here Andie?" He asked her. She could hear the detachment in his tone, she knew this was a bad idea._

_"I miss you" She spoke, her words escaped her lips barely above a whisper, they were heartfelt and pleading. Pacey's posture slumped momentarily and he ran his hand over his face._

_"Don't do this Andie" While her eyes filled with tears, his flickered with past anger and betrayal. He shook his head at her, she was not going to do this to him. She had made her choice, it had not been him. She had made it twice, he had already fallen for that and he had come out the other side broken._

_"Pacey I still love you." She said, taking a step toward him. "I never stopped Pacey." She reached for him, her expression filled with anguish. Pacey built another wall up around his heart as he stepped back and shook his head. A laugh escaped his lips, humorless and disbelieving. _

_"I don't believe you Andie." _

_Andie dropped her hand, a tear fell from her eye. He could see her lip trembling, she was hurting and in pain. Once he was that guy to hold her, to comfort her and tell her he loved her and everything would get better. He was not that guy anymore because she had replaced him with another._

_"I could never love anyone one else as much as I love you Pacey. I'm sorry." She stepped toward him once more, he stood unmoving and she stepped further to him. Her hands reached out and rested on his chest. _

_"Andie..." He warned her, although his tone lacked the conviction he needed to pull back. _

_Andie pressed her lips to his softly, he didn't kiss her back but it was something he needed. The two years since finding her with Dawson it all came down to this one kiss. She pulled away from him and saw it in his eyes._

_"I don't feel it. Not anymore." While the words themselves cut through her heart with deep precision it was the look which passed over Pacey's eyes causing the most damage to her. _

_The look of hope, not hope for them because in that instant they both knew what the kiss meant._

_Goodbye._

_The hope held within Pacey was a hope that after everything he would be okay, he no longer needed an 'us' to hold onto anymore. The final stage in purging Andie and their relationship had occurred._

Pacey sat, his head in his hands. He decided he would ignore the knock on his door at first but when the irate voice on the other side didn't let up he stood with a defeated groan and slowly made his way to the door. He swung it open and smirked at her.

"Lindley, what a pleasure" He spoke, stepping aside for her. Jen stood beside the counter, her previously annoyed mood starting to abate at seeing Pacey's dishevelled state. "What?" Jen offered him a small smile and moved closer to him, she rested a hand on his arm.

"You okay Pace?" His eyebrows knit before he then rolled his eyes and shook his head.

"She told you." He said, knowing the answer. She simply nodded. "Great" Pacey groaned at her and threw himself on the couch. Jen moved over to sit next to him, she sat in silence waiting for him to speak. Pacey took a sidelong glance at her.

"The same bullshit Jen, that's all it was." blowing out a breath of defeat he looked out the window. Jen frowned and placed her hand on his shoulder.

"I know Pace, but doesn't mean it doesn't hurt when he carries on like he does." Pacey shrugged his shoulders.

"I know Jen but he's never going to change, he's always going to be that self righteous bastard he's always been." Pacey sighed and slumped back against the couch, he looked to Jen "Andie's gone, Dawson blames me for how unhappy she had been, it wasn't my job anymore Jen, I couldn't be there continually to look out for her." Pacey let out a harsh breath "That was up to Dawson, I wasn't that guy for her. Not anymore." Pacey frowned, rubbing at his eyes.

"Lunch?" He asked her, changing the topic. Jen grinned and nodded, saying she's bring Jack along as well. Her eyes narrowed at Pacey.

"What about Joey?" She asked him, Pacey bit the inside of his lip. They had not spoken to each other about the morning earlier, while he had begun to talk the incident with Dawson had taken centre stage, as it tended to do. Pacey shrugged at the small blonde while she stood.

"She's a little, um pissed." He offered her, she sighed at him and began to make her way to the door.

"No she's not." She said. "You know you should just tell her." She said to him. Pacey's head snapped up.

"Tell her what exactly?"

Jen only offered him a knowing look as she placed her hand on the door, ready to leave. Pacey sighed and shook his head, not sure if he wanted to reply to her. If he did he could go two ways, tell her she was insane or actually concede to the insinuations and admit he had feelings. He had after all admitted as much when he had called her late in a panic over inviting her to the Auxiliary Ball.

He wasn't ready to admit how much Joey had gotten under his skin however.

But Jen being Jen, she probably already knew.

Lunch was different this time, Pacey sat quietly, offering small responses so as not to appear rude. His enthusiasm certainly absent from any conversation. Joey sat and watched him carefully, sharing the occasional frown with Jen and Jack.

She knew she had missing information that may help her to understand the situation between Pacey, Dawson and Andie better but no one was forthright with that. Jen had said to her earlier it wasn't her place to divulge such information, she also said she didn't like to speak ill of the dead. Joey knew Jen held quite a lot of animosity to Jack's sister, Jen was Pacey's self appointed keeper in many regards and looked out for him at every chance she got.

Pacey knew he needed to talk to Joey, he needed her to know that she wasn't just some favour for Jen, that he looked out for her because he wanted to, because she was a friend and friends looked out for the other.

Instead he kept his mouth shut and said nothing, maybe this was better, maybe it would be best if he simply allowed Joey to think it meant nothing.

She could stay distanced from him and he could keep the walls up around himself and his heart.

Joey was not entirely sure how to take Pacey's silence, and while she knew the argument between he and Dawson must be playing on his mind she didn't know how it was affecting him because she did not know that part of his life or his past and he did not trust her enough to let her in.

Soon enough they said their goodbyes and Joey made her way to Hell's Kitchen for her shift.

Pacey watched Joey walk away, a brief goodbye was exchanged between them and Pacey sighed, he was doing the right thing.

The years since Andie's betrayal he had held firmly to the idea that love was not worth the effort or more importantly the heartbreak. He was not going to allow himself to get so lost in another that he would no longer know where he was without them.

Joey had kept a watchful eye on the clock for her entire shift, between clearing tables and serving drinks Joey found her eyes keeping watch over Pacey's apartment, hoping he would still be awake by the time her shift ended. She needed to talk to him, she needed to make sure he was okay.

Lunch they endured earlier in the day was different, it was worse than any other she and Pacey had sat through. Pacey had more or less ignored her and she was almost wishing they had regressed to the past biting and nasty insults.

At least he would have been talking to her and looking at her.

Now as she began to go through the usual chores of closing the bar she found she had begun to lose her nerve over venturing toward Pacey's apartment. What if he simply didn't want to see her?

Joey chewed on her lip as she shut the safe and made her way out, turning off the lights as she made her way to the door. The light shone through his window and Joey wondered if she was happy for that fact. Joey locked Hell's Kitchen and took a breath, letting it out before taking a step toward Pacey's.

She made her way slowly hoping that between her leaving the kerb and reaching the other side of the street Pacey will have turned the lights of and retired to bed, giving her an out.

Joey reached the other side and looked up with apprehension.

The lights from inside Pacey's apartment shone brightly.

It was now or never.

Joey made her way up the stairs and stood on the outside of Pacey's door, she held her hand up to knock when the door flew open and Pacey stood, a look of surprise on his face. Joey cleared her throat.

"Bad timing, you're on your way out?" She asked him. Pacey shook his head.

"Uh no it's...cosmic timing. I was on my way to see you." He replied, a hint of a smile playing across his lips.

"Oh, um...really?"

"Yeah. Yeah. I was, uh, I was hoping that we could stand awkwardly in the doorway, which..." Pacey looked around them to emphasise their location "uh, huh, is working out perfectly for me."

Joey smirked and rolled her eyes "Can I come in, so it's not so awkward?" Pacey nodded and moved aside so she could enter.

Joey made her way into the large open plan living area and turned to Pacey who eyed her curiously, clearly toying with how to approach a conversation they both knew they had to begin.

"I'm sorry Jo." He said softly, knowing he should begin as he had not had the chance to finish it the night before. Joey's face softened and she gave him a small lopsided smile, tucking a piece of hair behind her ear as she nodded to him. "I didn't mean what...I mean I didn't mean for what I said to come out the way I said it. I ..." Pacey sighed and bit the inside of his lip, trying to find the words to explain it all to her. "I don't want you to think it was the only reason we've been spending time with one another, sure Jen asked me to look out for you but, I would have done it anyway." He sighed as Joey looked at him, her eyes unblinking. "I guess I would consider us friends yeah?" He let out a breath at Joey's affirmative nod of the head "So, as a friend I care about you and want to know you are...are safe Jo." Joey made her way over to the kitchen island counter and sat down on the stool, Pacey followed and leant on the counter top opposite.

"I know Pacey and I overreacted to the situation." She said as Pacey lifted a brow at her.

"You kinda did, didn't you." Joey nodded slowly and her eyes dropped to her hands in her lap, Pacey watched her momentarily before she looked up at him.

"I guess it's hard for me Pace." Joey said to him, noticing his eyebrows furrow, not understanding. "To trust people and not question whether there is some kind of hidden agenda." She stated finally. Pacey nodded knowingly.

"Adam." He offered simply, finally understanding what she meant, she nodded.

"I'm kind of messed up a bit huh?" She laughed sardonically, Pacey smiled and shrugged.

"I think we are all a little messed up Jo, in our own way." Joey nodded her head at him and began to worry her lip, hoping their friendship was strong enough to ask. Pacey tilted his head to the side and observed her quietly for a beat, noting the expression of inner turmoil over something unknown. He narrowed his eyes at her.

"Out with it then." He said, pulling her attention to him with a look of apprehension across her face. She cleared her throat and moved uncomfortably on the stool.

"Last night, with D-Dawson." Joey took an unsteady breath as she attempted to focus on her words, knowing he would more than likely shut her down and refuse to talk about it. "Why do you hate him so much?" She asked him, her large brown eyes locking with his. Pacey bit down on the inside of his lip and drew in a deep breath. He exhaled it slowly contemplating over how much information to divulge, if any at all. He could see the look of concern in her eyes, void of any accusation.

Finally he sighed and dropped his guard, Joey could see the hurt clearly in his eyes. The emotion she saw belied his usual stoic facade and she knew she had him pegged completely wrong, that everything Jen had said about him was true.

"Andie and I" He began, his hands beginning to gesticulate "We were together for quite some time, six months into our relationship she began to break down. Suppressed grief over the death of her older brother Tim, I mean it wasn't just that, she had underlying mental issues. Her father thought it would be best if she were to go away and stay in a - a facility." Pacey swallowed the lump in his throat, watching as Joey nodded her head, gently urging him to continue. "I knew it was the best thing for her but I loved her and it took all of my strength to tell her to go and get better, to tell her to leave. She left, for about four months and came back the first week of junior year. She was different somehow, she didn't want to be alone with me and was not interested in anything even remotely labeled intimate until I called her on it." Pacey dragged a nearby stool over and sat down. "Then she confessed sleeping with another patient. As you can imagine it put an end to our relationship right then and there." Pacey laughed bitterly at the memory and shook his head. "We were bitter towards each other after that or at least I was toward her, eventually we did manage to get back to friendship. She called me from a party and was upset, some guy had been harassing her." Pacey ran his hands through his hair "Me being the one to always try to save the girl." Pacey smirked "I drove over the the party, put her in the car and punched the guy out. You know defending her honour and all." Joey smiled a lopsided smile, the admission not surprising her in the least. "We spent the night together on the boat I was restoring, we eventually slipped in a relationship again, it was short lived however, a couple of months." Pacey frowned. "I ended it with her, it just didn't feel right at the time. Soon after, school ended and I left and sailed my boat down to the florida keys, needed to get away from Capeside. Away from her." Pacey stood up and began to walk the length of the kitchen, his hands balling into fists at his sides in agitation.

"Pace, you don't have to-"

"No, it's okay." Pacey stopped his movements and offered Joey a small smile. "When I got back I realised that I had to get over her, i needed to leave Capeside. So a few months into senior year when I realised I was pretty much failing half my subjects I decided to hell with it. My brother had contacts here in Boston so I left and found a job with the Boston Fire Department." Pacey stood, his hands on the counter. "The following year I ran into Andie who was attending Harvard and like a fool I fell for her again and for the third time we tried again. I really thought this last time was it, she and I were meant to be you know. We eventually moved in together, I was working long hours and she studied a lot so living together meant we were able to spend what little free time we had with each other. Things were going well until I came home one afternoon to discover her in our bed with someone else." Pacey laughed wryly and shook his head, He cocked his head to the side and rubbed his chin thoughtfully before looking at Joey "Now that I think about it things weren't going well between us at all." He watched as Joey frowned at him. "It was Dawson." He said finally, Joey's eyes widened and her mouth dropped open in surprise.

"What?" Pacey nodded his head, Joey covered her mouth with her hand, suddenly remembering the things she had said to him in the last few months. She really didn't understand how he would be happy to associate with her after all of the nasty things she had said to him. Joey shook her head. "Pacey, I'm so sorry about... god all of the things I said to you about...wow no wonder you kicked me out of the car."

Pacey laughed and nodded his head at her. "Maybe so but I shouldn't have taken everything out on you Jo." Joey shrugged her shoulders.

"I guess but I said that just after, wow Audrey. That's her name right?" Joey asked. Pacey let out a breath and nodded.

"Yeah but, it wasn't about her. I'm sorry to say." Joey gave Pacey a look of puzzlement, leaning to rest her chin in her hands. Pacey surveyed Joey as she waited for further elaboration on his part. Pacey sighed and scratched to side of his head. "I guess I want a bit pissed she would cheat on me but I can't say I was heartbroken" He allowed himself a sardonic laugh before continuing "I had purposefully boxed my heart up well before I got into a relationship with Audrey" He shrugged "It was never going to last any way, one way or another. I think her being unfaithful allowed me to reinforce the idea that I was doing the right thing for myself, not necessarily for her though which ultimately pushed her to turn to someone else." Joey frowned at him and shook her head. "Self preservation" He explained, Joey nodded slowly at him.

"I get it, i do but..." Joey reached up to tuck a wayward strand of hair behind her ear, she looked up to him. "You can't go through life closing yourself; your heart off to other people though Pace." Her voice was soft as she spoke in understanding, Pacey eyed her carefully knowing they were not just talking about him.

They sat in silence for a moment, Joey wanted to ask him about what Dawson had accused him of. Of how he had said it was Pacey's fault, he was to blame for Andie's death. Upon deciding it was asking too much; of the situation and of their friendship she kept her mouth firmly shut. Her head snapped up in surprise as Pacey's voice cut through the silence.

"She was still in love with me." Pacey's eyes downcast as he spoke, Joey opened her mouth before being cut of by Pacey. "Andie." He continued, "She was still in love with me."

"Were you..." She didn't finish her words, deciding to allow them to trail off as she knew he would understand what she was asking. He shook his head definitively and yet not without a small amount of regret.

"No, not anymore" He looked to Joey, wondering if he had still been in love with Andie and had taken her back would she have been happier and therefore still be alive. Joey worried her bottom lip, not really knowing what to say.

Silence swept over them once more, Joey glanced at her watch noting the late hour and stood up, preparing to leave.

"I should be leaving" She said, Pacey nodded and stood to retrieve his keys, Joey offered him a quizzical look.

"You are not walking Potter." He said, Joey shrugged at him and pulled her phone from her pocket.

"I'll call a cab, you don't have to-"

"I want to, okay" He smiled at her, she smiled her half smile back and nodded.

"If you're sure" She said softly.

"I wouldn't have offered otherwise Princess." Joey scowled at him and he chuckled as they made their way down to the street where he was parked. Joey sat herself in the passenger seat with a grin.

Pacey turned the engine off and rested his arm along the back of Joey's seat, he gestured to the shining light on the porch.

"Seems the local kids got sick of pranks" He smiled lightly. Joey's face fell which did not go unnoticed by Pacey. "Why, what's wrong?" Joey swallowed the feeling of apprehension down and shook her head trying to assuage the feeling of foreboding.

"Oh, er nothing." She offered him a weak smile as she reached for the door. Pacey placed a gentle hand on her arm, he was not buying it.

"Jo?"

Joey sighed and begun to wring her hands as they lay in her lap, she worried her bottom lip. Pacey quirked an eyebrow in curiosity. Joey looked to Pacey and let out a sigh in defeat, pulling her hand away she placed it back in her lap. Pacey sat and waiting for Joey to open her mouth, to allow her to let him in a little. While knowing he had opened the wounds his heart desperately tried to hide from. He knew as Joey began to speak she appreciated he would trust her enough with the disclosure of his past enough to let him in hers as well.

Pacey watched her carefully when she took a deep breath and spoke, her eyes gazed out the wind shield unfocused.

He could see her struggle to build up walls around her as she talked about Anna and Adam, how they had forged a special friendship when they were young, how he used to give her a red rose often while they were dating.

As she spoke about how they would take light globes as Halloween pranks Pacey's eyes narrowed and looked over to the light shining over the front porch. Joey raised an eyebrow at him, noticing his frown.

"What?"

"When was the last time you heard from him?" He asked carefully, Joey shook her head at Pacey.

"A few years." She said, a shrug of her shoulder, she tucked the hair behind her ear and allowed her eyes to drift to the porch light. "Its coincidence" She said, Pacey let out a snort of disbelief, Joey's eyes narrowed as she opened her mouth to speak.

"You don't really believe that do you Jo?" Joey pulled her lip into her mouth with her teeth. "Can you just make sure to call me if..." Pacey's words trailed off, Joey nodded her head and reached for the door without a word. Pacey's hand rested on her arm, his eyes seeking hers. "Promise me Jo." He spoke, his words unyielding.

"Yes, Pacey. I promise." Joey offered a nod of her head to affirm and gave him a small smile, trying to reassure him as well as herself.

Pacey's worries did not feel as though they were allayed at all but he knew he had to accept it. He watched as Joey removed herself from the car and disappeared inside the house. Pacey sat for a moment before pulling away from the curb and making his way back to his apartment.


	10. Chapter 10

_A/N -_ I am working on this and I will have the next chapter up as soon as I have finished a few more chapters to give myself a buffer and to organise my plot a little better . Thank you everyone for reading and taking the time to review. Also thankyou for forgiving the editing, which I might add, i didn't really do except skim over.

**Chapter 10**

_Sitting here, on this lonely dock_

_Watch the rain play on the ocean top_

_All the things I feel I need to say_

_I can't explain in any other way_

_I need to be bold_

_Need to jump in the cold water_

_Need to grow older with a girl like you_

_Finally see you are naturally_

_The one to make it so easy_

_When you show me the truth_

_Yeah, I'd rather be with you_

_Say you want the same thing too_

_Now here's the sun, come to dry the rain_

_Warm my shoulders and relieve my pain_

_You're the one thing that I'm missing here_

_With you beside me I no longer fear_

_I need to be bold_

_Need to jump in the cold water_

_Need to grow older with a girl like you_

_Finally see you are naturally_

_The one to make it so easy_

_When you show me the truth_

_Yeah, I'd rather be with you_

_Say you want the same thing too_

_I could have saved so much time for us_

_Had I seen the way to get to where I am today_

_You waited on me for so long_

_So now, listen to me say_

_I need to be bold_

_Need to jump in the cold water_

_Need to grow older with a girl like you_

_Finally see you are naturally_

_The one to make it so easy_

_When you show me the truth_

_Yeah, I'd rather be with you_

_Say you want the same thing too_

_Say you feel the way I do_

_**Id Rather Be With You - Joshua Radin**_

Hoping to catch Joey before his shift began, Pacey made his way into Hell's Kitchen. He offered a smile to Melanie as she stood polishing glasses behind the bar. Surveying his surroundings Pacey noted Joey's absence and sidled up to the counter opposite Melanie.

"Hey Mel, Jo not in yet?" Melanie shook her head. Noting Pacey's face fall she smirked at him. "What?"

"No-thing." She sing songed, turning to stack the polished glasses into the fridge beneath the bar, chuckling at Pacey's narrowed eyes. "She's quite the popular girl today" She spoke as she swiped the bar down with a wet cloth, Pacey's brows furrowed at her admission and tilted his head to the side.

"What's that mean?" He asked her. Melanie's jutted chin drew Pacey's gaze to the direction of a man sitting by the window, he eyed the man, exhaling as he recognised him. "Eddie right?" Melanie nodded.

"Yeah, his friend was asking for Joey." Pacey looked back to Eddie, noticing he sat alone.

"He left though, it's not the first time he's asked about her either."

"Who was he?" Melanie only shrugged, turning to pull at the overflowing bin liner in the corner. "He seems like he knows her though. Maybe they're dating?" Melanie tossed over her shoulder, catching the scowl on Pacey's face before she turned back and tied the bag off. "Watch the bar while I take this out?" Pacey nodded as Melanie moved off to the back and through the exit. Pacey frowned and looked back over to Eddie as he sat staring out of the window.

Moments late Melanie made her way back and sat beside Pacey, he leaned in to her and spoke. "Do you think she's dating someone?" Afraid of the answer, yet still feeling compelled to ask the question. Melanie laughed and shook her head, standing to make her way behind the bar once again to serve a burly man with a scruffy grey beard. After placing his drink down she moved back over to Pacey and placed her elbows on the bar, her eyes catching his and a serious expression now on her face.

"No. Jo and I have become pretty close. I don't think she's dating anyone. As far as I know Eddie was the last date she's been on." Pacey let out a breath in relief, unable to hide his appeasement at her statement. Shaking her head Melanie moved over to serve another patron. Pacey frowned as he watched Melanie while she gave him knowing looks. Pacey sat with a dejected expression as he waiting nursing a soda and waiting for Joey to start.

Pacey watched as Eddie stood from his stool and made his way to the door, he cast a look at Pacey, his eyes narrowed briefly before slipping through the glass entrance door and disappearing into the busy street.

Pacey had waited until the very last moment before he regretfully decided he needed to leave, Joey had called the bar to apologise that she would be late. He sighed and waved goodbye to Melanie before leaving Hell's Kitchen and heading for the fire house.

Pacey and his crew were first on scene to a house fire on Straitt Street. A large home set between two large homes of wealthy families. Pacey barked orders to his men, evacuating surrounding homes as he made his way into the blaze.

Smoke filled every and all available space, the fire looked to be started on the first floor where his crew was busy putting out the flames in the back where the kitchen was. Pacey made his way up the staircase which appeared to have not been affected by fire.

He searched each room, given it was almost midnight so the residents would certainly be in bed if they were home.

A woman stood bashing on the door of a bedroom frantically, trying desperately to gain access.

"Ma'am" Pacey called to her. "You need to get out." He said, tears streamed down the woman's face as she shook it vehemently.

"My daughter, she's in there..." Her eyes pleading with Pacey's. He turned to find Trent standing behind him and nodded to Pacey as he reached for the woman's arm. Trent was slowly able to coax the woman out while Pacey turned back to the bedroom door, he dropped his shoulder and put his weight into getting through. It took him a few attempts and he finally found himself in the bedroom of a teens bedroom, he looked around within the darkness, with only the streetlights to illuminate the room. The bed looked to be unslept in, Pacey looked around, in the walk in and the private bathroom, there was no sign of the girl. Pacey noted the window was open slightly. Pacey frowned and made his way back down the stairs. By now the fire had been put out and the surrounding neighbours were allowed back into their homes. Pacey removed his mask and helmet as the woman came over to him.

"My daughter?" Pacey shook his head.

"She wasn't there, perhaps she is staying at a friends place?" He asked. The woman frowned and shook her head.

"She would have told me, unless..." Her eyes narrowed as she thought about it. "She's with that boy." Pacey hid his smirk behind his water bottle.

"Well perhaps you might like to make a call to check for certain." Pacey motioned to the house "Because she is not inside."

Trent, Pacey and the remaining crew finished off work at the house on Straitt St before making their way back to the fire house.

Matt looked up from the paper to the sound of Pacey slumping his body down next to him in the common room.

"Hey Oz." He said, leaning back and closing his eyes.

"Hey Mate." He spoke, his eyes falling back to the article he was reading. Matt noticed the exasperated sigh escape from between Pacey's lips, his head thrown back and his eyes closed. Matt raised an eyebrow in question as he watched Pacey cross his arms and lean forward against the uneven table dejectedly.

Pacey looked to Matt and frowned at his friends amused expression on his face.

"What?" He asked him, pushing himself back to sit straighter in his chair. Matt shook his head at his friend, flicked his newspaper out and sat it back on the table, smoothing the paper out with his hands. "Matt?" He asked, waiting for further elaboration. Matt simply smile knowingly at his friend. "Am I missing something here?" He asked, Matt shook his head.

"_Someone_." He replied.

"Huh?"

"So, you ready for Saturday?" He asked Pacey, avoiding his question easily. Pacey's face paled momentarily while he swallowed visibly, nodding his head slowly. Matt regarded his friend in amusement, knowing while Pacey would not admit the leggy brunette occupied his thoughts on many occasion Matt could see through his friend's nonchalant facade easily. Pacey sighed as he attempted to ignore his friend's scrutinising gaze, he had hoped to catch up with Joey earlier to confirm with her the time they would be picking her up before the Ball. While he tried telling himself the only reason he wanted to see Joey was to confirm details for Saturday he knew deep down he simply wanted to see her.

Trying to hide his growing feelings for Joey was proving difficult. If Pacey were to be completely honest with himself his feelings were beginning to scare him, he had all these strong feelings for a woman he had never felt before, not even for Andie.

For a time he had thought Andie was _the one, _the one woman he was to spend the rest of his life with. Now when he could admit that he had stronger feelings for someone he barely knew it was overwhelming.

He had no idea what to do, he had feelings for someone who thought him to be a complete jack-ass, feelings that were most certainly unrequited.

Matt slapped him on the back knowingly, pulling him from his thoughts.

"You ever going to say anything to her?" He asked his friend. Pacey's eyes widened in disbelief and while he never expected his best friend would be oblivious he certainly didn't figure he himself to be so transparent. Matt chuckled at Pacey and shook his head, turning back to his paper to leave Pacey with his thoughts, to ponder his next move if he would infact make one. Pacey felt completely out of depth with his situation, he had never had an issue with women, Pacey Witter; friend to women. Joey's eloquent statement had certainly proven an apt description for him. Joey was different, she didn't fit into the typical mould of women Pacey usually associated with, she was almost an enigma for Pacey and he found himself more than only mildly intrigued.

Joey Potter filled his thoughts almost constantly of late, first he tried desperately to will them away, not willing to allow himself the luxury of possibly falling for someone. Eventually he gave up, knowing his attempts were futile.

He could think about Joey because he was not going to fall for her.

He was not going to fall for her so it was okay to think about her.

Matt kept an eye on Pacey, smiling to himself as Pacey pulled his cell from his pants and hit a saved number in his phone.

"To what do I owe the displeasure of your call Witter?" Pacey grinned into the phone, Joey's voice beautiful music to his ears. Matt looked up as Pacey spoke.

"Just wanted to hear your beautiful voice" He spoke, throwing a scowl toward Matt who offered his friend 'kissy' faces.

"Ha, i'll bet Pacey" Joey laughed uneasily, knowing that his compliments, while she knew he wasn't being serious still made her feel a little embarrassed by them.

"You sound disbelieving?" Pacey feigned shock "You know I think your voice is beautiful and you are a freakin' goddess who must be worshipped." Pacey grinned, Matt chuckled behind his hand and shook his head.

Joey coughed in surprise, there was a waver to her voice as she spoke which caused Pacey to shake his head at her. He still did not understand how she could be so self conscious about herself.

"Ummm, yeah okay Pacey. Look unless you had something you needed to say, um, I really need to get back to work." Pacey frowned.

"Er, yeah. Just making sure you'll be ready by six yeah?" Joey rolled her eyes .

"Yes Pacey, we've talked about this and I have spoken to Melanie too."

"Er. Right. Okay Potter, well see ya then"

"Yeah, see ya Pace."

Joey slipped her cell into the back pocket of her jeans and returned her attention back to cleaning the bar down, her mind wandered to the conversation and how differently their conversations were lately. Gone was the acidic, biting words. Now to be replaced with playful banter laced with hidden innuendos, mostly of a sexual nature.

Joey didn't quite understand why Pacey was acting the way he was lately, Pacey insulting her and being the all time asshole she thought him to be was not what she wanted, but it was what she had become used to. Pacey being sweet, caring and flirting with her?

That was disconcerting, she did not know how to react to that. Most of her knew he was only doing it because he knew it made her uncomfortable and for some twisted reason it appeared to amuse him to see her squirm.

That's all it was, it was not as though he truly found her attractive. Not someone like Pacey who was quite possibly the most attractively sexy man she had ever laid eyes on, a man like Pacey would never find someone like Josephine Potter attractive or desirable.

She knew that.

She had known that for years, Adam had explained it to her.

Adam had told her that she was awkward and shy. She was too tall and too intelligent. Guys did not find that an attractive quality, he said she wasn't completely hideous but she certainly wasn't someone a guy would take a second look at, she was average.

Men didn't want average. They wanted sexy, and she was not sexy at all.

Joey spent the remainder of her shift making drinks and joking with Melanie. The shift was busy, with quite a few out on the town.

"He was here waiting for you, you know?" Melanie spoke off handed, watching carefully for Joey's reaction. Joey shrugged and looked at her friend.

"Who?"

"Pacey." She answered, noting the smile tugging at the corner of Joey's lips.

"Oh. He rang earlier, just making sure I wasn't backing out of the ball no doubt." Joey flipped her hand about with indifference "I mean otherwise he'd have to go with Lacey." Joey lifted her eyebrow in amusement. Melanie chuckled at how both Joey and Pacey were trying to hide what they felt for the other.

The tapping of fingernails on the rich wooden surface of the bar caught Joey's attention.

"Hey Joey."

"Hey Eddie, how you been?" She asked, offering her one-time-nice-date a genuine smile.

"Good, you?" He asked her, smiling back. Joey shrugged. "can't complain, what brings you out?" She asked him.

"Catching up with my cousin from Pennsylvania." Eddie motioned to the small table by the window, Joey looked over to the man sitting.

A solid lump formed in Joey's throat as all of the moisture left her mouth. Joey could feel her heart beating within her chest at the sight of the man from her past, a man she was desperately trying to forget ever existed. "Joey, you okay?" Eddie asked her with concern, his eyes flitting between her and his cousin at the table behind him.

Joey's only response was a brief shake of her head in disbelief as she retreated to the back room, desperately trying to find air as she opened the door to the store room and flinging the back door open. Joey could feel the contents of her stomach threaten to make an appearance out in the dimly lit alley behind Hell's Kitchen. She leaned against the rough brick exterior of the bar, her eyes closed. She hadn't been there long when the door opened an a concerned Melanie poked her head out.

"Jo?" She asked her with caution. "You okay?" She asked.

"How long has he been here?" Joey questioned, mostly to herself. Melanie shook her head in confusion.

"Who Jo?"

"Adam." Joey pushed her self off the wall and made her way to Melanie. "He was sitting with Eddie." Melanie nodded.

"Err a few weeks at least Jo." She said.

"What?" Joey asked in disbelief. Melanie made her way back to the bar and began to pour a drink for a patron, she shrugged. "I mentioned it to you before yeah?" Joey chewed on her lip in recollection before finally nodding.

"Yeah you said a guy came in looking for me a couple of times." Joey's eyes roamed the crowd, noting he was no longer sitting at the table. " You said an average looking guy with beady eyes was looking for me." Joey smirked. Melanie grinned.

"Well, I mean he is average Jo, I'm comparing him to guys like Matt, Pacey and Jack." Joey nodded her agreement, looking around the crowd. "He left." Melanie spoke, sliding a glass down the bar. Joey let out a breath in relief, her shoulders visibly dropped as her body relaxed. "Who was he?" Melanie didn't want to pry but clearly his presence had upset her friend. Joey shook her head and finishing a drink order before turning back to Melanie, not knowing if she really wanted to get into it with her.

"Someone from my past, someone I really wish would just stay there." She said, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear and turning back to the small group who had gathered around the bar waiting to be served.

Pacey Witter and nervous around women did not go synonymous, they really didn't. Pacey was never nervous around women, ever. Not Tamara Jacobs; his high school English teacher. Not Sara Martyn the stripper down in Florida. He could talk to women easily, he could charm them and flirt with them like it was second nature to him.

Because more often than not, it was.

Women didn't make him nervous.

Josephine Potter, however, was something else entirely.

Pacey sat, waiting for Jen, Jack and Joey to arrive and join him for lunch.

It was Saturday and Pacey was nervous.

It was only lunch and he began to wonder; if he was nervous now how was he going to be later when they would attend the Auxiliary Ball. Pacey was beginning to feel nauseous and wondered if maybe he should just call the whole thing off, bow out now.

Pacey's head snapped up to the sound of Joey's laughter as it sounded through the cafe. Pacey knew he was in big trouble, he was slipping deeper and deeper and while he knew he couldn't get out he also wasn't sure he wanted to. He had never quite lost his footing this way, not so quickly and not so completely.

Joey was grinning at Jack and Jen was rolling her eyes, a trait she had inherited from Joey along the way. Pacey found himself smiling as the trio approached. Trying desperately to ignore the flutter of butterfly wings within, taking flight because of nerves or perhaps as he was in close proximity to the leggy brunette with the acidic tongue.

Jack clapped Pacey on the back heartily in greeting, Jen leaned down to place a soft kiss on Pacey's cheek, licking her thumb and wiping the lipstick off his skin cheekily. Pacey looked over to Joey and smiled, a smile of genuine affection he kept only for her, not that he would outwardly admit it. Joey's reply was a soft 'hey' as she tucked an errant lock of hair behind her ear.

Pacey noted she wore her usual Worthington t-shirt and a pair of jeans. Her hair pulled back loosely in a ponytail at the nape of her neck, strands of chestnut strands escaped the band and framed her face. Pacey allowed himself to exhale a breath in satisfaction. Even when she was wearing casual, almost sloppy attire, void of make up and perhaps only mildly enthused effort of pulling a brush through her hair she looked devastatingly beautiful.

She was mostly definitely the kind of beautiful to give you butterflies.

Once everyone had exchanged greetings and sat themselves down they were able to slip into comfortable conversation. Jen and Jack both talked about their jobs at a new trendy restaurant downtown, lucky for them the management of _Soleli _was in the mood for a two-for-one deal. Jen was hired as a hostess and Jack tended the bar. Joey frowned at them and said she should have applied for a job but would have to put up with sticking with the ruffians who frequented Hell's Kitchen. Pacey gave her a pointed look and she grinned at him devilishly with a glint in her eye.

Topic of conversation moved to the inevitable end of summer and the approaching last year of their college experience. They sat and allowed the appropriate amount of silence to mourn the loss of the summer, they would start up back at their respectable colleges in two weeks time.

Pacey simply shook his head, he would think they would be excited to get into the last year of college, knowing it would all be over with soon. Clearly he was missing something, never having the _college experience _he surmised might be half of the issue, and the other half could be because he hated high school so much he didn't even finish so he was hardly going to get all teary over missing out on college, he was more than happy to work and leave the academics to those more inclined.

Joey noticed Pacey looking at her with a look of adoring amusement, her cheeks flushed and she attempted to hide it. Pacey smiled at her and the pink staining her cheeks deepened. In an attempt to gain control of the situation, however fleeting Joey turned to Pacey.

"So, excited about tonight?" She surprised herself with an unfaltering voice, Pacey however coughed and thumped himself in the chest, took a drink from his glass of water in the hopes of stalling. Joey eyed him hopefully, with an eyebrow raised and a small smile of uncertainty.

Pacey swallowed the lump in his throat and grinned widely, finally able to regain his faculties. "I have been waiting to see you dressed up for months Potter." He winked, he hoped she understood he was trying to come across as lighthearted, in doing this she would not see the complete and utter truth behind his words. Yes he was looking forward to the Ball but it was not to see her dressed up it was simply to spend time with her.

Joey smiled and chewed on her lip nervously, Pacey smiled back.

In that one moment the world may have dropped away and left them as the only two remaining. Joey could feel her heart beating in her chest and wondered if Pacey could hear it, the thumping sounded almost deafening to her.

The group of four continued lunch, slipping into easy conversation as they spent the early afternoon together. Jen stood and gripped Joey by the wrist, jerking her unceremoniously to her feet and earning herself a death glare only Joey Potter could deliver.

"Time to get Cinderella ready for the ball" She spoke to Pacey and Jack, ignoring the red flush staining Joey's cheeks. Jack chuckled and shook his head, P{acey only smiled and nodded his head as he stood.

"I actually need to to go and pick up my tux." He spoke as they made their way out of the cafe.

Pacey and Joey stood awkwardly on the sidewalk.

"I'll see you tonight" He said, Joey nodded and turned to follow Jen and Jack. Pacey stood watching Joey move off down the street before finally turning and making his way up the sidewalk in the opposite direction.

Joey stood in the doorway to her bedroom, wrapped in a towel, her hair hung down her back dripping onto the floor below her. She eyed the dress that lay on her bed, an overwhelming wave of nausea came over her. Joey shook her head in disbelief, what the hell was she doing?

Joey moved to the bed, fingering the soft fabric of her dress, never in a million years would she have ever thought about wearing something like this, let alone purchasing it. She wasn't herself where Pacey was concerned, when she thought about Pacey or the way he looked at her it made her feel desired, even if she knew he was doing it to humour her.

He didn't really find her sexy or desirable, she knew that; deep down.

Lost to her own musings she jumped as a hand rest upon her shoulder.

"Fuck!" Joey yelped, clutching at her chest.

"Sorry" Jen grinned, unapologetic. "I think we should work on getting your hair dried first, oh I picked this up for you too." Jen grinned, holding up a set of red, barely there lace bra and panties for Joey. "I know you wont be able to wear the bra, but you can save _that_ for another time." Joey stood in silence, her eyes wide like a deer caught in headlights.

Joey did not own lace panties, or lace anything. Joey wore black or nude underwear and nothing else, no lace, no bows or other risque embellishments. Jen was now standing with her eyebrow raised holding out her Victoria's Secret purchase. Joey worried her bottom lip with her teeth before reaching out tentatively for the matching set. She sighed, knowing there was really no point in arguing, Jen would not have a word of it.

Joey spent the better part of three hours allowing Jen to poke, prod and manipulate her physical form under the guise of primping and not torture as it felt to Joey. Joey stood before the full length mirror in her bedroom and regarded her reflection.

Joey smoothed her hands down over her dress, erasing invisible creases down her sides to the outside of her thighs. A rich red, the neck line was respectable, the back however dipped low, dangerously low, an inch or so lower and a bra would not be the only underwear forfeited.

Her hair pulled back into a low pony tail on the side, it's strands fell in large curls over her left shoulder. She wore makeup, an alien concept to her save for a colourless lip gloss or chapstik. Her eyes made up of smoky greys perfect for evening and her lips a sexy shade of very berry.

It was thrilling to see herself like this, even if it was for one night. She did see herself for what she really was, a clueless woman simply playing dress-up. To Joey, a stranger looked back at her.

Joey felt the moment her heart stop, coincidentally it was the same time the door bell rang. She was fastening the buckle on her strappy red heels, praying to a higher power she get through without breaking her neck when Jen's head grinned at her from the doorway, Joey's head snapped up at Jen's voice.

"Your date's here." She beamed, Joey tried to hide her smile, wanting to roll her eyes and groan at her friend, not wanting Jen to know how excited she really was. Jen smiled at Joey knowingly, Joey's attempt at indifference not holding up one iota. Joey took a breath and followed Jen into the hallway and down the stairs.

The sound of footfall on the stairs pulled Pacey's attention away from the scuffed and worn floorboard in the entrance. He stood with his hands thrust deeply in his pockets, an act of casualness he hoped. In truth he was nervous and he had needed to stop his hands from fidgeting somehow.

Pacey rocked on his feet waiting.

It was Jen's chuckling which drew Pacey's attention to the top of the staircase, she was chuckling over the absurdity of her two friends, of how they were both acting like nervous teens dipping their toes into the dating pond for the first time.

Pacey's mouth fell open, his throat felt dry and the lump in his throat had swelled to epic proportions he thought he would choke. He watched Joey move with slow and deliberate steps, holding the skirt of her dress up away from her descending feet. Her brows knit in concentration as she made her way down to where Pacey stood; stunned, speechless and un-Pacey-like.

Jen watched with amusement and secretly longed to be sharing this event with Jack, who had to work that night.

Joey moved toward Pacey, her bottom lip caught between her teeth, she brought her hands up to play with her hair, pushing back imaginary strands as she stood with doubt. Pacey, still speechless managed to close his mouth, take a breath. Before he could comprehend speech, Joey spoke.

"I knew it. I look ridiculous. I'll go change. I'll, um." Joey could feel the tears well in her eyes. "Maybe you should just go without me." She said finally.

"What?" Pacey choked out finally, his eyebrows gathered in disbelief at what Joey was saying. "Jo, you- you look-"

"Like mutton dressed as lamb." It was a statement, she didn't bother asking Pacey a question she clearly already knew the answer to. Pacey's eyes widened and he shook his head.

"No Jo. God no. You are breathtaking Joey, you are stunningly beautiful and you have left me speechless." He smiled playfully. "Which, I might add Potter, is no small feat." Joey, pausing in mid retreat, stared at Pacey in surprise. Now swiftly bare and speechless her mouth dropped open, noting the softness in Pacey's eyes she allowed a lopsided smile to slowly tug at her lips and light her face up with elation.

Pacey took a tentative step forward and held a single red rose out from behind his back. Joey took it shyly and allowed her eyes to roam over her 'date'. Pacey wore a black tuxedo, white shirt with wing tip collar and a black silk bow tie. His hair, recently trimmed and he was freshly shaven. Joey could feel her heart fluttering in her chest, he was incredibly sexy, while she had admitted to herself on numerous occasion he was the real word recreation of Adonis; tonight was different.

Tonight he was with her.


	11. Chapter 11

_A/N Hope you like this next chapter, I did edit it, it could use more work but... hope you like any way. I hope to finish another chapter before posting the next one, this is a little shorter than some. Please R&R because I live for it!_

**Chapter 11**

_Gray, quiet and tired and mean_

_Picking at a worried seam_

_I try to make you mad at me over the phone._

_Red eyes and fire and signs_

_I'm taken by a nursery rhyme_

_I want to make a ray of sunshine and never leave home_

_No amount of coffee, no amount of crying_

_No amount of whiskey, no amount of wine_

_No, no, no, no, no,_

_nothing else will do_

_I've gotta have you, I've gotta have you._

_The road gets cold, there's no spring in the meadow this year_

_I'm the new chicken clucking open hearts and ears_

_Oh, such a prima donna, sorry for myself_

_But green, it is also summer_

_And I won't be warm 'til I'm lying in your arms_

_No amount of coffee, no amount of crying_

_No amount of whiskey, no amount of wine_

_No, no, no, no, no_

_Nothing else will do_

_I've gotta have you, I've gotta have you_

_I see it all through a telescope: guitar, suitcase, and a warm coat_

_Lying in the back of the blue boat, humming a tune...hmmmmmmm_

_No amount of coffee, no amount of crying_

_No amount of whiskey, no wine_

_No, no, no, no, no_

_Nothing else will do_

_I've gotta have you, I've gotta have_

_No amount of coffee, no amount of crying_

_No amount of whiskey, no amount of wine_

_No, no, no, no, no_

_Nothing else will do_

_I've gotta have you, I've gotta have you._

_I've gotta have you, gotta have you_

_I've gotta have you_

_**Gotta Have You - The Weepies**_

The home of Boston's current Mayor, Henry Ballard was large, luxurious and completely out of budget for a man employed by the government. Truth was; Henry came from money. Pacey looked around at the grounds as he, Joey, Melanie and Matt made their way through the foyer. Joey gasped in surprise, feeling herself incredibly out of her depths and completely drowning. Her hand gripped the inside of Pacey's elbow nervously, he smiled at her and rested a hand over hers to reassure her. Joey chewed on her lip as she surveyed the room and it's guests. Matt and Melanie looked at home, Pacey had explained Melanie came from money herself but had more or less had herself thrown out of the family when she married Matt.

Pacey chuckled as they both made their way into the ballroom. Joey gave him a scowl to which his grin only widened.

"You're grinning like an idiot" She said to him, Pacey chuckled and nodded.

"Yeah, I know, I can't help it." He said, his hand softly caressing hers as they moving further through the ballroom entrance.

"Why?"

"Because... I'm the only guy at this soiree who gets to walk in with Audrey Hepburn on his arm" Joey's face looked to him in surprise, her face softened and she smiled back at him, shyly and uncertain. Pacey still couldn't understand why she had no idea just how beautiful she was, how smart and sweet and perfect she was.

Joey had started to relax as the night continued, smiling and conversing with people Pacey would introduce her to. She watched in amusement as Pacey hid from Lacey.

Pacey smiled and shook his head at a guy blatantly hitting on Joey, something she appeared completely oblivious to.

"Hey there loser." Pacey's head snapped up to find his sister making her way over to him.

"Gretch, what brings you here?" He asked her, Gretchen too a sip from her champagne flute and glanced around the room, she then waved her hand in the direction of a tall, handsome blue eyed made who was making a beeline for Joey and Melanie. Pacey narrowed his eyes and watched. "Really, seems a little pathetic if you ask me." He grumbled. Gretchen rolled her eyes at her little brother, knowing exactly where the hostility was coming from as he watched Joey like a hawk.

"He didn't want to come here alone and be the pathetic loser who got dumped seconds before proposing." Pacey snorted at her admission and shook his head, still keeping an eye on Joey.

"Come on loser, dance with me." Gretchen pulled Pacey onto the dance floor.

Joey watched while Pacey was dragged onto the dance floor by a beautiful brunette woman, Joey bit down on her lip hard. She and Pacey were nothing more than friends, she knew this. She also knew Pacey was not attracted to her and he went for the seductive, self assured women he was dancing with now.

Joey had been introduced to the tall, handsome blue eyed man who stood beside her. Melanie had stated simply his name was Doug. No more to it than that before she took Matt's hand and lead him to the dance floor.

Doug held his hand out to Joey and gestured to the dance floor.

"May I?" He asked. Joey took a breath and nodded, her face beginning to flush. There was something familiar about Doug she could not quite grasp. Doug noticed Joey looking over to Pacey and Gretchen, he smirked. "So, you and Pacey huh?" He said, Joey's eyes narrowed at him as they moved together.

"We're just friends." She spoke, shrugging and looking back over to him, frowning to herself.

"Yeah, sure."

Pacey and Gretchen continued to dance, Pacey also decided he would make a night of shooting death glares at his brother. Gretchen watched with amusement, at first. Then it simply became pathetic. Ignoring Pacey's need to lead, Gretchen eventually maneuvered them closer to Doug and Joey.

"May I cut in?" Gretchen smiled and before a word of protest could be uttered she had whisked Doug away. Pacey laughed nervously as they both stood still in the middle of the dance floor. Joey looked around them and flushed with embarrassment. Pacey smiled and reached out for her.

Joey slid into his arms effortlessly slipping a hand in his and the other rest on his shoulder. Pacey smiled and brought his hand around to rest on Joeys lower back. His eyes widened in surprise as the tingling of electricity soared from his fingertips throughout the rest of his body. Pacey realised he was touching her bare skin. Joey noticed the strange expression cross Pacey's face and lifted an eyebrow in question. Pacey grinned at her and shook his head.

"What?"

"Nothing." His voice was strained. "Nothing at all" He smiled at her, hoping to regain some composure. He could do nothing but think of how soft and smooth her skin felt beneath his hand, of how good she smelled. "You're almost as tall as me in those heels." Pacey mused, having no idea why something so inane would escape his lips. Joey took a breath, willing herself not to think of Adam and all the things he told her.

"Too tall right?" She spoke. "I know, guys hate women who are too tall."

"No, not too tall..." Pacey watched as tears glistened in her eyes. "Jo?" He asked her, unsure. She sniffled and cut eye contact. Pacey noticed the double glass doors which lead out onto the courtyard, he slowly took Joey's hand and lead her out, seeking privacy. "Joey, what's wrong?" He asked her once they were in the courtyard. Joey pulled away, hugging herself and looking down at her feet.

"Nothing Pacey, it's okay. I'm okay." Joey sniffled before lifting her face. Pacey could see the hurt in her eyes, he shook his head and moved closer.

"Joey, you can talk to me." He said, dropping his voice low. "Is it about Adam?" Melanie had spoken to him before they had picked Joey up, he had told himself he was not going to mention it, seeing her obviously upset was enough for him to break that promise to himself. He wanted to make sure she was going to be okay, that if she needed someone he would be there for her.

Joey let out a breath and looked to Pacey, her shoulders slumped and she sighed. Pacey reached for her hands, gently rubbing the pads of his thumbs over the back of her hand in encouragement. Joey wasn't surprised he knew, she expected Melanie to tell him as she had witnessed Joey's break down over seeing him.

"I don't know what he wants" She whispered "I don't know why seeing him had such an effect on me." She said, searching Pacey's eyes for an answer, hoping to find it in his eyes. Pacey bit the inside of his cheek and let out a breath, toying with the words to offer her.

"Because Jo, you thought he loved you."

"He did Pace, Adam loved me." She said to him. Pacey shook his head at her with a small smile.

"Joey, that was not love. He treated you terribly, he used you and made you feel like you were nothing. That's not love."

"It's what I deserved" Joey's voice was soft, meek and lacking any strength. Pacey hated Adam, he wanted to hunt him down and beat the shit out of him for making someone as amazing as Joey doubt herself. Joey allowed her head to drop, her eyes resting on the terracotta tiles below them. Pacey rested his finger beneath her chin and slowly brought her face up so their eyes locked.

"Joey, you deserve the truth." Joey rolled her eyes and gave a small smile at Pacey.

"And what's the truth Pacey?" Pacey licked his lips with nerves and took a breath. It was now or never.

"You are so beautiful, that every time I look at you, my knees tremble, my heart just melts and I know right then and there, without any reservation; that there is order and meaning to the universe." Joey stood, her mouth open and her eyes wide, Pacey Witter the arrogant asshole with the nasty tongue had rendered Joey speechless. Not with insults or acidic banter but with words of complete sincerity, which were romantic and sweet. Never had she had any one speak to her as he had. Joey's mind spun out of control as she tried to reply. Before a thought had attempted to materialise in her fogged up brain she felt the softness of Pacey's thumb as he traced over her lower lip while he moved closer to her. Joey held her breath for a moment and swiftly Pacey's thumb was replaced with his mouth, the feel of his lips as they pressed against hers was something she had never before felt. Pacey's hand moved from beneath her chin to slowly move behind and cup the base of her head. Joey allowed a moan escape her lips as she opened her mouth to his, her hands sliding up over his jacket to move up and tangle in his hair. She could feel the heat from his fingers as his hand moved around to rest on the small of her back, as the kiss deepened he pulled her close to him, their bodies perfectly fitting together.

Finally feeling as though he could release all of his built up feelings and emotions in that kiss, Pacey didn't want for it to end.

As all living things need to breathe Joey and Pacey, reluctantly pulled apart and ended the kiss. Joey's knees felt weak and her brain was far more fuddled than ever.

"What was that?" Joey breathed, her fingers touching her swollen lips in surprise. Pacey chuckled nervously, wondering if she thought it was a mistake.

"I-I'm sorry" He apologised, mistaking Joey's silence as a negative sign. "Jo i'm sorry, just forget about it. It was a mistake." Pacey thrust his hands into his pockets, took a step back and turned to leave.

"Wait!" Finally finding her voice Joey spoke.

"What?" Pacey's voice showed irritation, at himself. Why would he use a moment when she was obviously vulnerable to maul her. Pacey silently berated himself.

"Do you really think it was a mistake?" Joey asked stepping closer to him. Pacey's eyebrows knit, not understanding what she wanted from him.

"Umm- well..." He wasn't sure what to say. What did she want him to say, if he said yes then they could put it down to a hormonal meltdown or glitch on his part. But if he told the truth... then what? "I don't want you to feel as though I took advantage of you in...er- an emotional state." Pacey scratched at the side of his head having no idea what he was saying. "I mean, what I mean is that...I-err"

Joey stepped forward, a smile on her face and a mischievous glint in her eyes, before Pacey could get out what he was trying to say Joey pulled his face down to hers and brushed her lips against his. Pacey responded with both of his hands gripping at the delicate skin of her back as his tongue delved into her mouth, he moaned into her mouth and pulled her against him. He could feel the soft swell of her breasts against his chest.

Pacey's lips moved to her jaw and made their way down the side of her neck, her intoxicating scent of vanilla and sandalwood caused him to grip her tighter while his mouth nipped at the smooth length of her neck. Joey's breath hitched in her throat before she spoke in short breaths.

"Pace." She spoke, a distracted mumble left his lips "Pacey." Louder and with more conviction than she thought capable Joey gently pushed him away, she looked around with embarrassment; the courtyard of the Mayor's house was not the best locale for making out.

Pacey chuckled at Joey, who stood awkwardly with a lopsided smile gracing her features., he reached his hand out to take hers and leant in to give a chaste kiss on her lips.

"Perhaps we should...er" Pacey motioned to the glass doors for them, Joey squeezed his hand and nodded.

Gone was the awkwardness in their dancing, they looked and felt more at ease with the other. Joey smiled up to her partner and he locked his eyes with hers, everything else around them inconsequential. They danced well into the night, Joey excused herself to find the bathroom, she looked behind her and scowled as the brunette from before swept Pacey up and dragged him to the floor to dance.

Gretchen grinned up at Pacey.

"You kissed her" She stated with a grin, Pacey, trying to suppress a smile shook his head.

"I really don't see how that's any of your business." He said, looking over to the hallway for her return. Gretchen snorted and shook her head at her younger brother.

"You have got it bad Pace." She smiled, Pacey could only nod in acquiesce while he waited for Joey to reappear.

Pacey was startled by Matts hand on his arm, he was accompanied by a middle aged woman who looked disheveled and panicked.

"There's a fire." Matt said, his words confirmed by the woman nodding furiously. Pacey's eyes widened.

"Where?" He asked. Matt's chin jutted to the back.

"Kitchen." He replied simply, Trent made his way over to them as they moved off the floor and huddled together.

"Okay, Trent can you get onto evacuating the guests?" Pacey asked, Trent nodded curtly and moved off. Gretchen looked to Pacey with worry. "Gretch, can you tell the Chief and then get out of here, make sure you get Joey and Mel out." He said and looked to Matt.

"This place is huge Pace, the guys are on their way but I think we need to make sure everyone is out, not trapped in any rooms in the back or up stairs."

Pacey and Matt moved together while they checked the top floor for anyone who may be left. The smoke was beginning to fill the halls and by the time they made their way to the front of the house the visibility was virtually zero.

"We gotta get out, we don't have the equipment." Pacey coughed, Matt agreed and they exited the Mayor's, gulping at fresh air as their feet moved across the gravel in the drive. Guests stood around, their expressions fearful.

The trucks had arrived and Pacey and Matt found spare gear in the cab. They had not checked the rooms in the back yet. Pacey could hear his name being called, he spun around to find Melanie and Gretchen running toward him.

"She's still in there!" Melanie shrieked, panic in her voice as she clutched onto Matt. Pacey shook his head.

"Who?"

"Joey" Gretchen added.

"What?"

Pacey took off at a sprint, his body taking over. Matt followed close behind. The smoke was thick, while most of the attention was on the fire on the east side of the house Pacey and Matt made their way to the south. Pacey moved with deliberate steps, his heart thumping wildly against his chest, the sound of blood rushing through his ears as he strained against the smoke to see. He could see movement up ahead, a vague shadow moving toward them, holding itself up by the wall.

"Jo?" Pacey called out, the shadow stopped. "Jo?" He called again, moving faster toward the figure.

"Pacey?" Pacey felt a wave of relief wash through him and the death grip around his heart loosen. Joey began coughing as she slumped against the wall.

"Where'd you go?" Matt asked her as Pacey pulled out the small portable oxygen tank for Joey, She gulped in fresh air, looking around her to settle on Matt.

"Bathroom. There's a woman in the, she's hysterical. She wouldn't come with me I said I'd send someone in I-" Joey broke into a coughing fit once again. Matt turned to Pacey.

"Get her out and seen to Pace." He said "I'll find the woman." Pacey nodded and helped Joey to her feet, holding her tightly as he guided her out of the building. Pacey insisted Joey seek medical attention, he turned wanting to go back in to assist. Joey gripped his hand and his heart swelled as he looked down at her, knowing he couldn't go anywhere.

Pacey stayed with Joey along with Gretchen and Melanie.

There was speculation about faulty gas pipes in the kitchen, the men worked tirelessly to gain control of the flames which had spread throughout most of the east and south of the lower building. Pacey checked his watch knowing Matt had been inside for a good fifteen minutes.

Pacey's head snapped up at the sound of muffled yells, men evacuated the building. Pacey could feel his body begin to relax at the sight, but the feeling was only momentary. The fire was not out, it didn't look to be completely under control either. Joey's eyebrows knit as Pacey released her hand and walked closer, his eyes scanning the area for Matt.

He wasn't there.

He was still inside.

The thundering sound of twisting metal and falling plaster penetrated the din outside. Silence overtook the guests, firefighters and those from the local TV stations. Pacey lifted his mask back onto his face and ran toward the building. The feel of Trent's hand on his shoulder stilled him.

"Matt's still in there" He supplied, Trent offered a curt nod and followed him into the building.

Joey, Gretchen and Melanie watched as men disappeared into the building, their hearts beat wildly in their chests as they waited for them to reappear. Joey's breathing coming in ragged breaths, her throat raw from the smoke, her eyes stung and yet she could not tear her eyes away from the front door. Loud crashing sounded once again, this time smoke and dust billowed out from the door in a rush.

It happened in that moment, silence washed over the gathering, everyone held their breaths, waiting. The fire was out and all that remained was sodden plaster, charred furnishings and part of the exterior appeared intact they all knew differently.

Eyes looked about, at each other searching for answers until finally there was movement, men began to exit the building. Air rushed back into every ones lungs with relief. Joey still searched the firefighters, watching as they took their helmets and face masks off, slapping each other on the back. She shook her head, unable to see Pacey. Melanie looked at her, panic in her own eyes as Matt was yet to return.

"Quick, get a medic" A lone voice screamed through the smoke. In a frenzy, paramedics rushed to find a man carrying his fallen comrade over his shoulder. He laid him down gently before being pushed to the side. Joey and Melanie rushed over, tears in their eyes.

The three of them, shortly joined by Gretchen and Doug stood watching as the paramedics worked tirelessly to get him stable enough for transport.

The sickening feeling in every ones stomachs at the thought he would not make it, that this was serious.

It was too much for him to pull through.

He had to.


	12. Chapter 12

A/N Please disregard any possible misspelling I may have missed. Thank you so very much for reading and reviewing, means so much to me. I have most of the rest of this story plotted, not sure how many chapters but there will be no more than 20 and more likely less, this is a standalone, no sequels etc.

**Chapter 12**

_And it came to me then_

_That every plan_

_Is a tiny prayer to father time_

_As I stared at my shoes_

_In the ICU_

_That reeked of piss and 409_

_And I rationed my breaths_

_As I said to myself_

_That I'd already taken too much today_

_As each descending peak_

_On the LCD_

_Took you a little farther away from me_

_Away from me_

_Amongst the vending machines_

_And year old magazines_

_In a place where we only say goodbye_

_It sung like a violent wind_

_That our memories depend_

_On a faulty camera in our minds_

_And I knew that you were truth_

_I would rather lose_

_Than to have never lain beside at all_

_And I looked around_

_At all the eyes on the ground_

_As the TV entertained itself_

_'Cause there's no comfort in the waiting room_

_Just nervous paces bracing for bad news_

_And then the nurse comes round_

_And everyone lifts their heads_

_But I'm thinking of what Sarah said_

_That love is watching someone die_

_So who's gonna watch you die_

_So who's gonna watch you die_

_So who's gonna watch you die_

_**What Sarah Said - Death Cab For Cutie**_

Much to the chagrin of the treating medics, Joey accompanied Melanie to the hospital in lieu of riding in the ambulance. Joey recognised some of the guests from the ball, dirty and sooty firefighters stood around, their faces sombre as they waited in the hall. Joey and Melanie ran toward the gathering crowd, their heels clicking on the linoleum as they made their way. As though the parting of the sea, the huddled group split, revealing a firefighter slumped in a chair, his head in his hands. He looked up to them, tears streaking his face, dirt and ash ran down. The look of unmitigated fear screamed at them from within his eyes.

He swallowed hard and looked to her, wanting what he was to say not to be true.

"It doesn't look good." His voice trembled with emotion. "I don't know if he's going to make it." She shook her head furiously, not willing to accept what he was saying. She repeated the word No again and again while she pushed people away and ran into the nearest trauma room in search of him.

The soft feel of a hand caused his heart to leap.

"Pace?" He shook his head at her voice. "Pacey, talk to me." She began to cough as she sat down next to him, his head snapped to her in concern and irritation.

"Have you seen a doctor?" His voice sounded hard, void of emotion. Joey shook her head.

"No, I-I came straight here. I wanted to ...to..." Joey shook her head, trying to clear her mind. "I...umm..." The room began to dim and spin, Joey attempted to stand but instead felt her footing on the floor falter and fall away as everything was shrouded in darkness.

Pacey jumped to his feet to catch Joey as she collapsed.

"Dammit Potter!' He seethed through gritted teeth as he effortlessly carried her over to a nurse working triage. "She needs a Doctor, now!" Pacey bellowed, gripping Joey tightly to his chest as he held her in his arms. Ruth, as written on her name tag took off to find help.

Pacey made his way down the hall, away from Joey and the sound of doctors yelling for full blood work, chest x-rays and an intubation kit resonating through his head. He made his way to where Matt lay in ICU, not far from where they worked on Joey.

Slowing his steps, Pacey stopped by the privacy curtain and watched in silence as Melanie sat by his bedside, holding Matt's hand close to her cheek. Her eyes were closed as she murmured softly. Words were incoherent to Pacey, not that It mattered what was said, just that they were said. Before it was too late to say them.

Pacey stood in silence, lost in his own head.

Pacey turned to Ruth, who had her hand on his arm. She inclined her head down the hall, "They're done with her if you wanted to see her." She smiled warmly. Pacey chewed the inside of his cheek, took a breath and followed Ruth, casting a look over his shoulder to Melanie who sat by her husbands side, fighting to stay calm, fighting so hard for him, willing him to be okay because she loved him.

That was love.

Good and bad.

All in.

Pacey expelled the air from his lungs as they came up to a curtain sectioning off a bed from the rest of the area. Pacey smiled weakly at the nurse before slipping behind the curtain. Joey lay in the hospital bed, her face pallid. Pacey noted the intubation tube, helping to keep her airways open.

"A pretty serious case of smoke inhalation" Ruth said, Pacey nodded and moved closer, sitting down beside Joey. Hesitating, Pacey reached out for her hand, his knuckles brushed the back of her hand before he took it in both of his.

Ruth watched for a moment, witnessing a tender moment.

Pacey brought Joey's hand to his lips and pressed his mouth against her knuckles. His breath hedged while he grasped desperately at regaining his composure, and while the tears stung at his eyes he cleared his throat to speak.

"I'm going to call Jen, she has no idea what's going on. Maybe, maybe she can contact your sister. You're going to be in here for a few days yet Potter so..." Pacey's voice trailed off as he looked down at Joey, residue still stained her skin in places but despite all of that she was still so beautiful, Pacey sat in silence.

He knew it was a bad idea; being here with her, being with her or at least wanting to. The nights events were proof of that, he knew it was a mistake. Pacey stood, releasing Joey's hand and turning on his heel and left.

Pacey checked in on Melanie and Matt, saw that she sat not having moved from the last time he saw her. Pacey backed out of the room and made his way through the disarray of emergency and out the doors into the night.

Pacey drew his phone from his pants and called Jen, it was almost two in the morning but he knew she would be awake.

"Hey Pacey, shouldn't you be off dancing the night away with a certain brunette?" She asked him, pausing the dvd.

"I take it you haven't heard?" He asked her.

"Heard what?" Jen frowned at the foreboding tone. "Pacey, what's happened?"

"A fire broke out tonight at the Mayors -"

"At the ball?"

"Yes, Joey's been admitted for severe smoke inhalation, they sedated her but she should be fine." Pacey took a breath, before continuing "It's Matt, Jen, he doesn't look good."

"Jesus Pace." Jen spoke as she finished putting her shoes on and grabbing her keys from the hall stand. "I'm on my way." Jen clicked the phone off and jumped hastily into her car.

Pacey sat in the hall, a few guys from the fire house stood by, waiting to hear word of Matt's condition. Pacey became aware of someone sitting beside him, he looked over to find Melanie, her back stiff, wringing her hands and willing herself not to break down. Pacey grasped her hands to still them and watched as Melanie slowly looked to him and shook her head.

"Um, he's...um there's nothing they can do Pacey. They can't do anything so, so. You want to go in. Um you know." Melanie gulped at the air. "Um say-say goodbye?" Pacey took a breath and nodded slowly. He stood up and made his way in to where Matt lay.

Pacey looked around at the small area around the bed, monitors beeped and the respirator hissed. Matt lay, his skin pale despite the fire residue still left behind. Pacey sat beside him and let out a deep breath.

"Well Oz, this is it man, you always said this was how you would bite it, either that or Mel would choke you to death for leaving the toilet seat up." Pacey let out a humourless chuckle " You know they got that woman out, she's fine, I checked up on her." Pacey shook his head slowly. "I'm going to miss you man, the fire house just not gonna be the same." Pacey stood up and looked down to his best friend. "I'll look after them Matt, I promise you. I will look after them." Pacey placed his hand over Matt's arm and squeezed , he turned and walked away, bowing back briefly "Goodbye Mate" He smiled softly over his shoulder.

Jen was sitting with Melanie once Pacey made it back out into the hall, her head lifted up to Pacey, her arm around Melanie and her face grave.

Melanie rubbed at her nose and stood, thanking Jen before making her way in to see Matt. Pacey stood with his hands in his pocket, Jen stood and moved to stand before him, he jerked his head down the hall and turned, gesturing for Jen to follow.

A soft gasp passed Jen's lips as she took it the sight of Joey lying in bed, her eyes closed, connected to machines by way of tubes and wires. Jen moved forward and took Joey's hand, Pacey could hear her sniffling.

It was at that moment Pacey felt his chest constrict and his heart begin to beat erratically within it. Pacey began to breathe with difficulty and he took steps away.

"Pace?" Jen's brows furrowed with worry, watching him carefully as he backed away, softly shaking his head.

"I just, I-" Pacey turned on heel and fled the building.

Joey's eyes began to flicker as she slowly awoke, Jen watched her, holding her hand as Joey began to panic at the tube connected to her. She started to claw at the tape by her mouth.

"Hey Jo, it's okay, i'll get someone" Jen spoke in a soothing tone, she rubbed Joey's arm as she leaned over to press the call button. Joey's eyes widened momentarily before slowly nodding her head.

"Your throat started to swell so they put that tube down there so you could breathe, it's okay." Joey nodded again, tears clung to her eyelashes, she looked around her, searching. Jen frowned.

"Pacey, he um he just stepped out for a bit. Maybe check on Matt." Joey's eye brows shot up hopefully, Jen shook her head. "Joey, he's not good. They're wanting people to say their goodbyes." Joey shook her head as tears began to flow down her face, she thumped at the bed beside her. Jen tried to soothe her as Joey once again grasped at the intubation tubing.

"Jo, stop. Please just wait." Ruth made her way behind the curtain as Jen held Joey's hands away.

"Hey there Josephine." Joey shot the woman a look of reproach.

"Er it's Joey, she hates being called Josephine." Jen chuckled "Unless you're Pacey and then you might get away with it." Joey rolled her eyes.

"Pacey, the gorgeous firefighter, hey if he was mine i'd let him call me anything he wanted." Ruth winked "The Doctor's being paged so he should be here pretty soon. I'm sure he'll want to extubate seeing as everything looks good." Ruth nodded as a short man with wire framed spectacles and salt and pepper hair made his way over to the bed.

"Your blood looks good now, oxygen levels are almost up to normal so you will still need some administered, your chest films look pretty good but i will want a repeat of those before discharge. But I think we can take that tube out." The doctor moved up to the bed, Jen jumped out of the way so he and the nurse could work.

Jen leaned against the window frame and looked out into the emergency parking area and the parking lot beyond. She caught sight of a familiar figure in the low lighting. Pacey appeared to be leaning over, his hands on his knees, taking in deep breaths. Jen frowned and wondered if he was okay. The sound of Joey coughing pulled Jen's attention away from the window and back toward the bed. She glanced momentarily out the window before glancing back to Joey and the hospital staff around her. Jen caught Joey's eye as she gestured beyond the curtain. Joey inclined her head to her and refocused back on the doctor.

Jen's sneakers squeaked noisily against the flooring in the hall, a quick glance at her watch told her it was very close to 3 am. Jen headed in the direction of the agitated young man, pacing the sidewalk in the dark, a misty wet drizzle had started up.

"Hey" Jen spoke, having no idea what to say, what did one say?

"Hey."

"She's awake." Pacey stopped and looked to his friend, he nodded softly. "You okay Pace?" She asked him, reaching out a hand for him he backed away, turning from her and shaking his head.

"I can't Jen, I can't do this." Jen frowned.

"Mel's going to need us Pace, we need to be strong."

"Yeah, I know Jen and I will be there for her but..." Pacey turned to look at Jen "That's not who I mean Jen." Pacey made his way back into the hospital, leaving Jen to stare after him, wondering what he was talking about.

Pacey sat in the hall, waiting for the inevitable, the one thing they knew was going to happen it was just a matter of when and not if. Pacey sat, his head in his hands and he waited, waited for the news.

It came at 6:27 am, from the lips of a teary blonde. Her blue eyes swimming with grief and despair as she approached him.

"Pace?" Her voice barely audible reached his ears, sounding loudly as though yelled. Pacey's head lifted to take her sight in, he stood and walked to her, his arms outstretched to comfort her. Melanie fell into his embrace with exhaustion. "What am I going to do Pacey, what am I going to do without him? I don't know what to do without Matt." Melanie choked out, sobbing she clutched at his shirt. Pacey held her not knowing what to say, knowing whatever he did say it wouldn't make a difference, it wouldn't make everything alright and it wouldn't bring him back.

The only thing Pacey knew was to hold her, hold her and hope she understood that he would be there for her, for her daughter.

While Pacey stood with Melanie he caught sight of Jen in his periphery, standing, wringing her hands.

One of the nurses came to fetch Melanie and Pacey moved to Jen slowly shaking his head. Jen held her arms out for her friend as he dropped his head down, holding onto Jen like a life line, needing desperately for her to hold him up or else he crumple to the floor below.

Jen helped Joey pack the few items into her bag while they waited for the discharge papers, Joey turned to Jen, tears stinging her eyes.

"How's Pacey?" She asked her, Jen shook her head at her friend, slinging Joey bag over her shoulder.

"I have no idea, he refuses to take my calls and he wont answer the door. I thought that giving him time might help but it's been three days Joey." Joey nodded to the nurse as she handed her papers, giving her the all clear to finally leave the hospital. "I take it you haven't seen him?" Joey shook her head.

"The last time I saw Pacey was before I fainted in the hall." They made their way out of the hospital into the late summer warmth. "Jen it's my fault." Joey's voice was soft as she spoke, she turned to Jen.

"What?" Disbelief evident on her face. Joey sighed and nodded her head, she had thought of nothing but the night of the ball and she could only come down to one thing, it was her fault. If it weren't for her Matt would still be alive and Pacey wouldn't hate her.

"The only reason they went back into that building was to find me Jen, if I hadn't have still been in there they would never have come back in. They weren't even on duty Jen." Jen shook her head at Joey.

"You can't blame yourself for this Jo, it's not your fault." Joey shook her head, convinced Matt would still be alive if it weren't for her that night.

Jen drove along the streets while Joey stared ahead at the traffic. "Funeral's on Friday." Jen said finally, Joey nodded her head.

Jen pulled the car up along the kerb and nodded toward the house.

"Jack's in, there's something i need to do." Joey nodded absently and got out of the car. Jen watched as she made her way to the door and enter the house before she pulled out and headed in the direction of Hell's Kitchen.

Jen thought of going to Pacey's apartment first but thought better of it, she noticed his solitary form sitting at their usual table, he sat staring into his whiskey on ice. Jen stood next to him briefly before moving to sit opposite.

"Hey Pace." Jen said. Pacey looked up slowly, blinking in an attempt to focus and to get the two Jen's to merge into one. "How you doing?" She asked him. Pacey chuckled at her and shook his head.

"Me? I'm just dandy Lindley." He said, downing the last of his drink, slamming the class down. "But you, you better leave though." He said, his eyes narrowing on her. "Cos, you're probably next Jen." His words were slurred and Jen frowned, knowing she needed to get him home, she stood and held her hand out for him.

"Come on Pace, let's get you home." He shook his head "You've had enough Pacey" She said, her voice filled with compassion yet still stern. Pacey sat watching her with unfocussed eyes for a beat before nodding and slowly standing, he took Jen's hand and allowed her to guide him outside and over the road.

After the usual rolling of her eyes after a lewd comment or two from Pacey as Jen checked his pockets for his keys, Jen finally had him inside. She managed to sit him on the sofa with a large glass of water in his hand. He looked to Jen.

"I meant it Jen " He said. Jen only frowned as she took up position on the chair opposite.

"Meant what Pace?" She asked him.

"Leave Jen, get as far away from me as possible." He said, his eyes looked sober and his face set. "Because it's obvious isn't it.?" Pacey sat the water down and rubbed a hand over his face. "People I care about die, so you'll be next Jen." He frown and shook his head.

"Pacey, don't be silly. I know after Matt and ...and Andie you might feel that-"

"Can you just leave. Please." The finality in his voice was clear and Jen stood, turning to leave. She allowed herself one final look over her shoulder to him.

He sat with his head in his hands now. Jen sighed and let herself out.

Joey could see the pain on Pacey's face as he stood with the rest of the firehouse, he stood wearing his dress uniform as the ringing of the bell sounded, Joey bit down on her lip, trying to stop it from trembling as the mournful notes reverberated through her body.

Melanie sat with Matt's mother and father, his two brothers also. Joey spend the time watching Pacey, trying to telepathically comfort him. He never looked to her, not even once and it broke Joey's heart because she knew why. It was her fault, she had killed Matt. If it were not for her Matt would still be alive, Pacey would have his best friend, Melanie a husband and a young baby would not go through live never knowing or remembering her father. The guilt twisted up inside of Joey, she retreated to the bathrooms once the funeral had ended and those in attendance began to disperse.

"Hey" Pacey smiled and reached for her hands, he pulled her into his chest and held her.

"Once we have his ashes I'm going to stay with the Hastings, we are going to release them off at Ben Buckler Point, it's close to where he grew up in Bondi." Melanie tried to smile. Pacey squeezed her hand as they made there way toward the cars parked along the kerb. "Have you spoken to Joey?" Melanie asked. Pacey shook his head, not wanting to elaborate and further. Melanie stopped him, her hand on his arm. "Pacey, you need to talk to her. Jen says she-"

"Mel. Don't" He warned, pulling his arm from beneath her hand. "I can't do this Mel, not now." He turned his back and made his way in the direction of where he was parked.

"I don't know what to do Mel" Jen spoke as she came to stand by the other blonde.

"I know Jen, while I know he's mourning Matt's death, there's something else. I can't get through to him either." Melanie sighed as Matt's mother made her way over with the baby in her arms. "Just, keep an eye on him Jen. I thought he had healed, after Andie now...oh god I don't think I have ever seen him so broken." Jen nodded, she knew exactly what Melanie was talking about, she had thought the same.

Jen looked up to Joey as Melanie's car pulled out into the traffic.

"Hey" Joey said.

"Hey" Jen linked her arm through Joey's and signalled for Jack who stood, engaged in conversation with Trent. He inclined his head, shook Trent's hand and made his way over to Jen and Joey.

"Where's Pace?" Jack asked, looking around for him or evidence of his presence. Jen frowned at him and shook her head.

"He left" She said.

On a sigh, Jack shoved his hands into his trousers, hoping to have a moment or two to talk with his friend. He guessed he would have to try harder to seek him out. Jack looked to Joey, he could see she had attempted to hide the dark circles beneath her eyes with concealer. He knew she had not slept in days, she got up at all hours of the night to sit alone in the kitchen, crying quietly to herself.

She may not be aware of his knowledge, but he knew.


	13. Chapter 13

A/N- Hope you like this chapter, will try to get the next one out sooner, am working hard at finishing this story also.

_Gone are the chances I have passed by_

_-Sewn all my seeds to the wind_

_Time can be nothing but pain in disguise_

_-I'll never see you again_

_And it's too late_

_To think of what I've left behind_

_-Dreams that have faded from view_

_Too late ' too late_

_I've burned all my bridges with you_

_And I can't walk on water_

_The road that I've traveled is all that I know_

_-Paved with each piece of my soul_

_And it's taken me far - but left you behind_

_And I'm longing to see you again_

_But it's too late_

_To think of what I've left behind_

_-Dreams that have faded from view_

_Too late ' too late_

_I've burned all my bridges with you_

_Did I reach for a sky that wasn't my own?_

_Lost in my own world_

_-Now I can never come home_

_To you_

_And it's too late_

_To think of what I've left behind_

_-Dreams that have faded from view_

_Too late- there's no turning back_

_-Nothing that I can undo_

_And I can't walk on water_

_**Too Late - Fisher**_

With shifts cut to three a week Joey sighed as she left Hell's Kitchen for the night, a month had passed without a word from Pacey. Part of her wondered if he was even still in Boston. She knew he was however as while he refused to speak to her he did talk to both Jen and Jack often. Jen mentioned he had gone back to Capeside just before the end of summer, taken his boat out for a sail along the cape.

All this information relayed to her from either Jen or Jack. Not one word from him, she had not even caught even the smallest of glimpses of him. She had called and he never answered, she went to his apartment which he never answered the door.

Jen said to her he didn't want to see her.

Jack told her he didn't want to speak to her.

Joey knew why, his best friend was dead and it was all Joey fault. She understood why he hated her, she didn't blame him. Not in the least. Despite she understood, despite she could empathise it still hurt. It tore at every fibre inside of her.

Joey only had the memories, of that one spectacular moment in the courtyard of the Mayor's house, beneath the stars, two people entangled with one another.

Hearts beating as one.

If only for that one moment, a moment of perfection Joey wished she could get back, have Pacey back in the moment where he didn't hate her. Joey pulled her coat around her tightly, the brisk air of early Autumn swirled around her body and tugged at her hair. Joey made her way home, everything seemed different in so many ways, her tenure on her current life appeared tentative and ready to slip from her. Everything felt different now, small things and big things.

Melanie had left, they were in their final year of college. Jen spent much of her time, like Jack working or studying. Joey was the same, she had work and her studies, she was preoccupied with thoughts too, thoughts of a man who didn't think of her, who had pushed her away and made it perfectly clear he could easily live without her in his life. Joey wasn't so sure the same could be said about her, while she had thought she could be okay, because she did have work and school to occupy her time she understood the problem was she had known Pacey.

Now it seemed empty, it wasn't just because he had kissed her and held her so rightfully, so perfectly against him. That, she was almost certain she could over come, deal with and get over, what she was afraid of not getting over was his friendship, regardless of how biting and acidic it could be. She almost wished for the nasty barbs because then it meant he was there, right there talking to her, acknowledging her existence because even with the diatribe, it still meant something to him.

Joey's boots collided with the pavement below, the dull thudding sounding around her as she walked, each step deliberate and directional. Preoccupied by her own thoughts, the sound of a second set of footfall was almost lost until Joey felt a long ago felt familiarity behind her. Momentarily wrestling how to react Joey stopped and turned. It took a moment for her to discover there was no one there, or at least no one she could see. Joey stood for a beat, looking back down from where she came. She shook her head and took a breath to steady her nerves before tugging her coat closer against her body, Joey allowed a long shaky breath to escape her lips, she closed her eyes briefly.

She started off again toward home, the urgency she had felt momentarily before now bubbled within her belly, sending her whole body on alert and while she was unaware of any immediate danger to her or around her she could not hide the feeling of panic as it rose within her and gripped her.

She spun around again, her eyes darting around her, searching her surroundings for anything that was out of place, for something that shouldn't be there. Her breath came out in ragged gasps, frightened and more than understanding she was beginning to act irrational Joey pushed forward, with just a block to go before she would be safely ensconced in the place she shared with Jen and Jack she moved quickly along the pavement, the sound of her boots hitting the hard surface the loudest sound in the late night air.

Joey could see the light ahead from the front porch and while she let out a relieved breath the light went out. Joey stopped, her heart thumping wildly within her chest, beating loudly throughout her entire body, she stood, frozen in place. Joey dipped her hand into the pocket of her jacket and withdrew her phone, she dialed Jen's number and held her phone between her ear and shoulder while she searched for the small, pocket flashlight Pacey had given her one night.

"Hello?" Jen's sleepy voice came through the phone "Joey, where are you?"

"I'm almost home, hey did you turn the light -" A large hand clamped over Joey's mouth, Joey dropped her phone, her hands wend straight to the large hand gagging her, she desperately tried to grip onto fingers, anything. The thick woollen gloves she wore proved futile for getting a decent hold on. A strong arm around her waist dragged her toward the kerb where a van sat waiting, Joey caught a vague logo of a hammer on the side of the van before she was dragged into it and the door slid shut, shrouding her in darkness and stealing into the early hours of the morning in a squeal of tires.

Pacey was quietly dozing in the hard plastic chairs in the break room, a bottle of water on the table in front of him. Trent sat beside him watching the infomercials with a small smirk of amusement on his face. Loud footsteps resonated down the corridor, pulling Pacey out from his state of exhaustion and causing him to sit up quickly. Chief Goodwin entered the room, drawing the attention of every man and woman in the room. Others who had not been in the break room were suddenly filing in, Pacey looked around and noted all people on shift except those currently out on a call were in the room.

"What the hell we got here?" Came Trent's wary whisper as he leaned close to Pacey, who shook his head in turn. Goodwin held up a file, the low murmuring ceased and all eyes were on the Fire Chief.

"I have the reports back from the Mayors fire." He took a breath "It was deliberate." The whispered murmurs had now escalated to outright yelling. Chief held his hand up to quiet his men down. "I know what you are all thinking, we lost one of our own in the line of duty. This was a deliberate act and he was murdered. The proper authorities are working on this so I don't want to hear about any of you going off half cocked thinking you can all play private investigators you hear." Chief placed his hands firmly on his hips " I am telling you this out of respect for you all, you all deserved to know the truth-" Goodwin's speech was interrupted by the internal fire alarm going off. Pacey and Trent jumped up, Pacey moved off and towards the exit. He locked eyes briefly with Chief Goodwin who gave him a curt nod of the head.

"Come on boys, get moving!" He yelled as they took off.

Pacey sat in the seat beside his driver as his company made their way along the streets of Boston. The dispatcher cut through the din to alert Pacey of the current situation.

"Single vehicle collision, unknown number of casualties. EMS en route, ETA three minutes."

Pacey could see a panel van up ahead, it's back door wide open and the front passenger door thrown open. It looked as thought the front driver side had taken the impact, it had plowed into a telegraph pole. Pacey jumped from the truck as soon as it had stopped. Pacey jerked his head, ordering Trent to get onto creating a perimeter.

"Get them away from the vehicle until we can secure it." Pacey made his way to the van, he could hear the wail of the ambulance in the distance. Pacey leaned into the smashed driver's window to find the driver still, his face coated in blood. She rested against the steering wheel unmoving. Pacey frowned and placed two fingers on the drivers throat, feeling for a pulse. There was nothing, Pacey frowned and gingerly pushed the woman's blood soaked blonde hair from her face.

Trent made a check around and under the van for leaks finally standing, happy that no fuel had been released in the collision. He looked to Pacey who stood, his face pale and his body unmoving.

"Hey, Captain, you okay?" Trent moved around from the passenger side of the vehicle to stand by Pacey's side. He allowed his eyes to follow Pacey's line of sight to the woman who sat, unmoving in the driver's seat. His eyes narrowed as he noted a familiarity about her.

"We need to get in there." Came a voice behind them.

"She's gone" Came Pacey's response. "She's dead." The paramedic checked for vital signs, frowned and nodded her head in agreement. She moved back and looked to Pacey.

"Nothing we can do here, once you are able to get that door open we'll transport the body to the morgue." Pacey nodded his head and moved back to the truck for the equipment they needed to access the woman.

Trent watched Pacey carefully as he reached in to pull out the spreader and lift it out of the toolbox.

"Pacey, who is she?" Trent asked, his hand on Pacey's arm "I know the face, just can't place her."

"Audrey." Pacey replied without emotion "Her name is- _was_ Audrey."

Eddie paced the dark, wet floor of the abandoned building, his heart beating hard and fast with the rush of adrenalin as it began to fade. He watched as Joey's hands were being tied behind her back, a cloth had already been secured around her mouth.

"What am I going to do, she's dead. She's _dead" _Eddie said, dropping to his knees and sobbing, his head held miserably by two shaking hands. "It's your fault, yours and that fucking bitch." Eddie spat, his chin jutting towards Joey who sat silently, her head bleeding from the hit from the butt of the gun which had rendered her unconscious, her head dropped to the side in her chair. "Dammit Jack, no one was supposed to get hurt. Now Audrey's dead and it's your fault, yours and Joey's" He pointed an accusatory finger at him.

"Hey, Joey was the one who tried for the wheel, if you had a fucking hold on her..." Jack sneered at Eddie, bending down to finish duct taping Joey's ankles to the wooden chair. Eddie stood to resume his pacing of the room.

Jack threw the remaining roll on the table nearby and moved to sit close by, waiting for Joey to wake up, he knew he was going to have to deal with Eddie sooner rather than later. After losing Audrey there was no way of telling what he would do.

Jack looked over to Eddie, he was pathetic. How could he have been in love with a woman who was happy to spread her legs for anyone, he was amazed Eddie honestly thought that by helping to get Joey out of the picture, Audrey would be in his debt, sure, Audrey hated Joey, she hated her because she was too close to Pacey. Jack smiled, Audrey wanted nothing to do with Eddie. She knew what he felt and she manipulated him into thinking he had a chance with her. She wanted Pacey, still.

Pacey, what the hell was it about Pacey?

It was his fault, Andie was dead because of him. He would take Joey from him, she was supposed to die a month before, Matt died instead. It was a pity, he was a great guy. Pacey hurt because of his best friends death, it had helped to ease Jack's pain but it was not enough, it just was not enough.

Joey was enough, Joey would make it even.

Jack stood up and checked his watch, he glanced over to Eddie who stood, staring off into space.

"Watch her for me, i'll be back soon" Jack turned and left, leaving Eddie sputtering behind him. Jack made a mental note to get rid of Eddie before he gained a conscience.

Jen sat in the middle of her living room, a female officer sat with her while a Detective stood a notebook in hand asking Jen yet another question. It felt as though they were going around in circles, Jen couldn't answer any more of the detective's questions, Jack appeared to be AWOL and she couldn't get hold of Pacey. Jen had called Joey's sister, Bessie.

"Are you sure there isn't more you can tell me?" The detective asked, hoping to jolt Jen's thoughts. Jen only frowned, trying to think of even the smallest of details.

"No, The last month we've been getting back into classes and before that both of us have been really busy with work. I spent a bit of time in Capeside so we didn't get to talk as often as I would have liked to." The Detective slowly nodded his head, jotting down notes. He looked up and pointed around him with his pen.

"Does anyone else besides you and Miss Potter live here?"

"Yes, Jack but I haven't seen him since last night. He was working but then was going out and said he'd crash at a friends place nearby." Jen smiled softly, happy Jack was finally get back into old Jack.

"Did Miss Potter have other friends, close friends besides you, a boyfriend?" Jen bit down on her lip and nodded slowly.

"Pacey, a good friend. I mean they were."

"Were?"

Jen sighed and said, "They haven't spoken to each other in over a month since the fire."

"Fire?" Jen nodded her head and watched as the Detective said down in a chair adjacent to her, waiting for her to elaborate. Jen took a long, shaky breath and began to tell the detective about the fire at the Auxiliary Ball, how Matt had died and how Pacey had shunned Joey since then. "Do you think Pacey would-" Jen's head snapped up, her eyes wide with alarm.

"Pacey would what?" Her voice was hard and accusatory.

"Harm Miss Potter, you said yourself he wasn't talking to her. Perhaps he blamed her for the death of Matt?"

"No, god. No, that's ridiculous." Jen said, twisting her fingers anxiously in her lap. She looked to the Detective, searching his eyes for some sign of recognition or understanding. "Pacey, he's not that sort of person." The Detective nodded his head, not believing or disbelieving. He was appearing to reserve judgement. Jen gripped the phone she held in her hand tighter, she held it up for him to see. "I've tried to call him, and Jack. I got through to Bessie, her sister. She's on her way here." Jen drew a breath, her breath shaky while she nodded her head. "Pacey's probably asleep, he would have only got home a hour or two ago. I don't know where Jack is." Jen frowned, where the hell was he?

Outside, the sound of an urgent voice came through from outside and Jack burst through the front door.

"Jack!" Jen leaped from the comfort of her sofa and raced across the living room into Jack's arms. He held her to him, holding on fiercely as he looked around the room. The inside was crawling with police in uniform and plain clothes Detectives. Jen began to sob into Jacks chest, her fingers tangled in his sweater anxiously.

"What the hell is going on?" Jack turned to the Detective who stood before him, a man in his late forties with a mop of curly salt and pepper hair, he extended a large, beefy hand to Jack.

"Detective Vincent, you must be, Jack?" Vincent tilted his head to the side, sizing the Jack up before him, Jack offered a curt nod to the large man. "Okay Jack, have a seat and we will fill you in on what's happening."

Joey became aware of her surroundings as she slowly lifted her head up, her neck and shoulders stiff, her head pounded beneath her skull, Joey attempted to lift her hand up to her head, she was unable to move them, panicking she realised they were secured behind her. Joey blinked rapidly, trying to remove the haze engulfing her mind, she couldn't think properly. She sat in a chair, hands behind her back, legs unable to move. The wad of cloth in her mouth caused her to panic again. She looked around her, eyes wild, it was dark and smelt of dirt, damp and smoke. The smell caused her stomach to roll with nausea, faint shuffling beside her became louder as a figure came into her view.

"You killed her Joey." His voice was low, familiar. He stepped closer so she could see him better in the moonlight as it pushed through the darkness from a shattered window. "Audrey's dead because of you." He spat. "I loved her, don't you remember. I wanted her back, I told you that. We were going to be together again. You ruined everything." Muffled sounds of protest was all Joey could give him. She knew the face, Eddie.

Joey shook her head, having her head filled with cotton was not helping her to understand what was going on. She looked around her trying to find clues to her whereabouts, they were in a large building, she knew that much. The sound of Eddie's voice and the shuffling of his feet echoed around them and while the moonlight which streamed from one of the many broken windows was not a lot to allow her to see well, it at least told her the building they were in appeared expansive. It also appeared abandoned, and the size meant it was a commercial building or more likely an industrial building. That, naturally meant nothing. Joey was tied up and gagged and was unlikely able to do anything with the information. Joey tried to remember what had happened, she was walking home from work and was feeling uneasy. The light, yes she remembered the light on the porch go out and she rang Jen.

Joey blinked rapidly around her, was it just Eddie here?

She remembered it was just Eddie, he had dragged her into the van, Audrey was driving, she remembered. She had fought with Eddie and had pulled at Audrey's hair, grabbed the wheel, which at the time she thought was a great idea, judging by how she felt now it was pretty stupid. She wondered about her head, she must have hit it in the accident. Joey closed her eyes to try and push the sick feeling in her belly, her mouth was dry and the cloth was making it worse, her jaw ached from not being able to shut it.

What did Eddie want?

Why did he and Audrey take her and now that Audrey was dead what was Eddie going to do now?

Dawn had begun to creep its way over the Boston skyline by the time Pacey found his way to his bed. He threw his exhausted body down. He lay for a moment, fisting his eyes, trying to rid his head of the vision of Audrey, her bloodied hair plastered to her forehead.

Audrey was dead.

Pacey swallowed the bile burning the back of his throat, his head was swimming with everything which had happened that night. Audrey was dead. Other things had happened, he knew that but couldn't for the life of him remember anything except one thing.

Audrey was dead.

Pacey pat down his pants in search of his phone and drew it out. Jen had called at least ten times the day before, wanting to set up lunch with him, jen, jack and Joey. Pacey, being the adult he was, completely avoided all of her calls and when it got too much he simply turned his phone off. Pacey now lay on his bed staring at the blank screen of his phone, he switched it on. Pacey fell asleep before the phone had completed it boot up sequence and didn't hear the constant binging of his phone to signal text messages or missed calls.

_The smoke was so thick it could have easily been mistaken for a solid, physical entity. Pacey forged forward through the building, a long corridor cut through the belly of the factory. Pacey breathed in the oxygen through his mask. He searched the area surrounding him, he felt panicked, he was looking for someone. She was in there. He knew it, she was still there he just knew it, he couldn't find her through the smoke. _

_'Matt' Where the hell was Matt? He pushed through, the lights flickered momentarily before the went out. Pacey could feel his heart pounding beneath his ribs, he needed to get to her, he didn't have much time. Frantically now he was throwing doors open, the factory was dark and abandoned, not another soul in sight._

_He called for her, again and again until he found himself in the large manufacturing floor of the factory. The smoke had receded, it was dark, cold and smelled of smoke. Pacey removed his helmet and mask, she sat in a chair, her head to one side and bleeding. Pacey ran to her and dropped before her._

_"Jo?" He touched her cheeks with shaky fingers, he cupped her face gingerly "Joey?" His voice hoarse and gravelly, blood dripped from her hairline in a river of crimson down her face to congeal along her jaw. Her eyes were closed, Pacey spoke her name again. _

_'you can't save us Pacey, we die, we all die.' _

Pacey sat bolt upright on his bed, the sound of beating upon his door came through to his ears. Pacey choked back the emotion from seeing Joey sitting, tied up and lifeless. It was just a dream, he knew that, he'd had dreams before. He had so many of them. Ever since the factory fire and more recently, since the fire at the Mayors, the fire which had claimed the life of Matt Hastings. Pacey had dreamed most nights since Matt had died, the dreams were all different but they all ended the same, someone died in it, someone he cared for.

The loud bashing continued, Pacey stood up and made his way down into the living area, he threw the door open madly, he took a step back to see a large man accompanied by a young woman in the uniform of the Boston Police Department. Pacey's eyes widened.

"Pacey Witter?" The man asked, Pacey nodded his head, "Detective Vincent, Boston Police, missing persons department" Vincent held out his hand, his mouth set in a grim line. Pacey shook the man's hand before stepping aside for him to enter.

"Officer Daniels" The woman extended her hand to Pacey, a smile on her face to reassure him. Pacey licked his lips, hoping to also calm him heart down. Once Pacey had his guests seated he had managed to calm himself down enough to seat as well.

"You look a little anxious, everything okay?" Vincent eyed Pacey while he removed his notebook from his coat pocket. Pacey shook his head and cleared his throat.

"No, i'm fine, haven't been sleeping well." Pacey bit down on his lip and raised his brows. "What's this about, you mentioned missing persons department." Pacey inched forward in his seat, waiting for the Detective to answer. He nodded his head.

"Miss Josephine Potter, reported missing by her roommate." Vincent flipped back through his notebook, noticing the colour drain from Pacey's face. "We had reason to believe she has been abducted."


	14. Chapter 14

**A/N I know it's been a while since I posted and I apologise, keep reviewing because I love the read them. I am beginning to really wind down this story for an ending soon. I also have to make sure that some parts are written without being too explicit for FF. My hopes is that I will eventually have this story and some of my other edited a little better and then I can properly typeset them and have the to download as a full Ebook in the future.**

**Chapter 14**

_Did you see the sky?_

_I think it means that we've been lost_

_Maybe one last time is all we need_

_I can't really help it_

_If my tongue's all tied in knots_

_Jumping off a bridge is just the farthest_

_That I've ever been_

_Anywhere you go, I'll follow you down_

_Anyplace but those I know by heart_

_Anywhere you go, I'll follow you down_

_I'll follow you down, but not that far_

_I know we're headed somewhere_

_I can see how far we've come_

_But still I can't remember anything_

_Let's not do the wrong thing_

_And I'll swear it might be fun_

_It's a long way down_

_When all the knots we've tied have come undone_

_Anywhere you go, I'll follow you down_

_Anyplace but those I know by heart_

_Anywhere you go, I'll follow you down_

_I'll follow you down, but not that far_

_How you gonna ever find your place_

_Running in an artificial pace_

_Are they gonna find us lying face down in the sand_

_So what the hell now we've already been forever damned_

_Anywhere you go, I'll follow you down_

_Anyplace but those I know by heart_

_Anywhere you go, I'll follow you down_

_I'll follow you down, but not that far_

_**Follow You Down - Gin Blossoms**_

Pacey could feel his chest tighten at the Detective's words and shook his head in disbelief, "Abducted? when, how?" He stood abruptly, tunneling his fingers through his hair. Vincent watched Pacey, taking in his reaction to the news. Pacey stared back at the Detective wanting to lunge at him and take him by the collar. "Where the fuck is she?" Pacey's voice lowered to a dangerous tone, his eyes narrowed. The young officer cringed at his demeanor, Vincent appeared unwavering, he gestured for Pacey to sit down. Pacey, on weakened knees allowed his body to slump to the armchair, his hands trembled, he made fists to hold them still. "Please." Pacey's eyes pleaded with the man who sat across from him.

"Jennifer Lindley called 911 early this morning with the reports of speaking to Miss Potter on the phone at approximately 1:37 am, Miss Potter had asked Miss Lindley if she had turned the light off, Miss Lindley heard a noise and the sound of tires squealing."

"Did she see who took her?" Pacey asked hastily, rubbing his hands anxiously along his thighs. Vincent shook his head.

"Where were you Mr Witter?" Pacey's mouth dropped at the bluntness. He shook his head to shake the surprise.

"At that time?" Detective Vincent nodded his head, Pacey took a breath in thought. "Break room, with the rest of company 41. We took a call shortly after, a single MVA. One fatality." Pacey dropped his eyes to the floor. Officer Daniels cleared her throat.

"Mr Witter, can I get you a glass of water?" She asked him, Pacey lifted his head and shook it, offering her a smile of gratitude.

"No. I- I'm fine, I knew the woman we pulled out of the accident." He nodded, mostly to himself.

"I'm sorry Mr Witter." Vincent said, his gruff voice trying to sound comforting but failing miserably. "We don't have anything to go by with regards to Miss Potter's abduction, is there anything you could tell us?" Pacey's eyes narrowed in thought, he nodded.

"Yes, yes. The lights." He began, Vincent lifted a brow. "Someone was removing the globes from the front porch lights, I figured it was teenagers, you know how they can be." Pacey laughed, Vincent nodded his head and jotted notes down in his note pad. "Roses, someone was leaving roses on the front doorstep. Joey was convinced it was her ex boyfriend, Adam." Pacey frowned "She saw him in town, a day or so before..." Pacey swallowed, rubbing at his face "Before the fire, at the Mayors house."

"The Auxiliary Ball?" Vincent questioned, Pacey nodded his head. "You attended this, with?" A smile spread across Pacey's face.

"Joey, Josephine Potter, yes." Vincent nodded again and scribbled more notes down.

"Miss Lindley mentioned a falling out between you and Miss Potter, was it you or Miss Potter who ended the relationship?" Pacey's response was a small frown, he looked to Vincent carefully before he said, "Jo and I weren't seeing each other, i mean we're friends."

"I see, so what happened between you two then?" Pacey scrubbed his face and sighed, he chewed on the inside of his cheek before replying.

"The fire happened." He said. Detective Vincent's mouth drew into a thin line, his pen scratching on the notepad. Pacey's leg bounced with agitation while he watched the large man taking his time writing notes down. The uniformed officer's eyes were on Pacey, he could feel her eyes on him, he wanted to crawl out of his skin with the need to get up and yell at them, scream, hit something. He wanted to do something that didn't involve sitting around. "Do you have any idea where she is?" Pacey asked, hoping the Detective did more than simply take ridiculous notes. Vincent looked to Pacey, his expression blank, he gave a small jerk of his head in the negative. Pacey snorted in disbelief and stood, Officer Daniels spoke,

"Please sir, sit down"

"_Sit down_?" Pacey's voice rose an octave in disbelief "You have to be kidding me, right?" Pacey balled his hands into fists at his side while he stood cemented to the floor with his eyes darting from Officer Daniels to Detective Vincent "Have you looked into Adam, or the guy she went out on a date with the other month." Pacey said.

"What guy?" Asked the Detective with interest, flipping to a new page in his book. Pacey scratched his temple with concentration as he thought.

"Er that guy" He said, chewing on the inside of his cheek "That Eddie guy." He frowned, knowing he knew his last name, he had made a point to find out "Doling, Eddie Doling." He said with a curt nod of his head, "Father owns a hardware store." He added. Vincent jotted more notes, looked to his officer before turning back to Pacey.

"You're friends with Eddie?"

"No" Pacey sneered, Vincent gave a knowing look to his officer "I was looking out for Jo, seemed like a bit of dick if you ask me but, you know she could see whom ever she wanted to." With a sniff, he shrugged in an attempt at nonchalance which was easily seen through.

"You mentioned someone else, Adam?" Daniels asked him, her voice soft, soothing. Pacey exhaled loudly shaking his head.

"An ex boyfriend, another 'dick' by the sound of it. I don't know his last name, he's from her hometown but she told me she had seen him in Boston but that was a month ago." Pacey could feel a tightening in his chest "He seems, he seems like bad news. Treated her like shit, I don't know if he was violent but..." Vincent watched as Pacey rubbed absently at his chest in an attempt to soothe what lay below.

He looked to Daniels with mild interest as she pulled the radio out when the sound of a voice came through, Daniels quietly excused her self. Pacey began pacing the floor with growing agitation while Daniels spoke over the radio with murmured voice. Pacey continued to pace, raking his fingers through his hair hoping Officer Daniels had news. Finally she clipped the radio back in place and turned to Vincent, she leaned over and spoke in a low tone, Vincent's eyes looked to Pacey's, his brows drawn together. Vincent cleared his throat.

"The van involved in the MVA you attended earlier this morning" Pacey nodded, Vincent continued "It's registered to Henry Doling" Pacey felt his lungs stop working and his throat closing up in panic.

"What?" He croaked out, knowing he had accused the guy but wasn't all that sure he would have actually kidnapped her, he came across as a dick but reasonably harmless. Or maybe he didn't want to admit that he could do something like this because it would mean that he had been a threat and Pacey did nothing to stop it. He knew logic pointed to him not being responsible but when his chest hurt and he could barely breath from the aching he felt, logic was the last his mind settled on. Vincent and Daniels took a moment in an attempt to assuage Pacey's concern before they turned to leave.

Pacey walked them to the door, shook their hands and nodded when Daniels said they would find those responsible, Pacey wanted to believe them but he could feel his stomach churning with uncertainty. Pacey stood, unmoving in the quiet of his living room, trying desperately to make sense of what was happening. Audrey was driving Eddie's father's van, Eddie was a suspect possibly in Joey's abduction. The question was why, why would someone kidnap her?

What did she have to do with Eddie or Audrey.

Where did Adam fit in all of this?

Daniels and Vincent said they would talk to Eddie's father and see if they could also talk to Eddie, Pacey doubted they would be able to find him. Daniels said she would call him if they had any news, knowing the pain that obviously could be seen in his eyes Pacey thanked her.

Pacey's mind was spinning, causing a dull ache behind his eyes and a much sharper pain in his chest. He got to his feet and turned to grab his keys, hoping to see if he could make more sense out of it all.

Eddie moved about, pacing the interior of the filthy rundown factory in growing agitation. He was mumbling to himself now, incoherent and barely audible. Joey watched him, he appeared different to the nice Eddie she had dinner with a couple of months ago, he was not the nice and calm Eddie Doling. He was a very different man altogether.

A man she decided she was afraid of, he appeared unhinged and capable of anything, of not quite knowing himself what he was to do next. Joey licked her dry lips and tested her voice, calling out to him quietly, when she realised he hadn't heard her she called again, louder.

"What happens now?" It was a simple question she thought, one she felt anyone would expect. Eddie however stopped and turned to her slowly, his eyes wild as they darted around the room. "Eddie?" She wondered if he heard her, because he didn't really look to be taking in what she had said.

"Jack will be back, he will know what to do, this was all his idea." He answered her finally, Joey's eyes widened in disbelief.

"Jack?" It was impossible, why would Jack want to kidnap her, Eddie had to be wrong about him right? "Why, why would Jack?" She asked. Eddie grinned slowly at her.

"Because of Pacey." Eddie grimaced "Pacey cares for you. Jack cared for Andie and Pacey is the reason she killed herself. So now, now you must be sacrificed so Pacey can know true pain" Eddie choked on his words. "It's always Pacey's fault, if it wasn't for Pacey, Audrey would still be alive, if it wasn't for you-" Eddie sneered, his eyes darkened with malice as he closed the gap between them "-You killed Audrey, you are the reason she is dead." Joey's face fell at the realisation, she remembered what happened, how she had lunged forward to grip the wheel, not knowing what she was really going to achieve at the time. They had veered off the road and hit a pole. Joey swallowed, tears stinging her eyes.

"Oh, Eddie I am sorry I-"

"Shut up!" He screamed "Just shut up. I loved her Joey, I loved her. I told you there was someone. Someone I wanted more from. Remember?" Joey nodded her head slowly, she remembered however vaguely.

"Yes." She whispered now, trying to calm him down, having no idea what he might do. Joey thought about what he had said, Jack?

Joey let out a shaky breath, Jack loved his sister, she knew that and while she knew he was still grieving she didn't think he blamed Pacey for it. She frowned, it wasn't as though she really knew him all that well either so she guessed he could very well harbour incredible anger toward Pacey. Joey kept her eyes on Eddie, she had no idea Eddie knew any of her friends but she supposed that maybe with being with Audrey he would.

She was convinced all of the uneasiness was because of Adam, that Adam was leaving roses and taking lights not Eddie.

Not Jack.

By the time Pacey pulled up out front of Jen's he was ready to explode, he couldn't contain the explosion he knew was trying it's best to make its way out. Pacey stood on the front stoop, his hands balled into fists as he waited. Jack answered the door and quickly ushered Pacey inside.

"Have you heard anything?" Both Pacey and Jack asked the other in a tumble of words, Jen hurried into the entrance, her face looked to Pacey with hope. He shook his head, the shoulders of both his friends dropped at his words.

"What happened?" Pacey asked and while he didn't want it to sound like an accusation, Jen's spine stiffened at the harshness in his tone.

"I know, I should have picked her up okay Pacey. I came home straight from work and fell asleep on the couch." Jen's words cut through, her voice biting. Pacey sighed "I should have made sure she got home safe." Pacey watched as the tears welled in Jen's eyes, they glistened in the light before quickly trailing down her cheeks. Pacey bit down on his lip, cursing himself for being such a jerk.

"Can't do anything about it now Jen. I found out that a motor vehicle accident I was called to early this morning, about the time Jo was taken involved a van belonging to Eddie's father." Jen and Jack's jaw dropped, they looked to each other " The driver died at the scene." Pacey took a breath "The driver was Audrey."

"What?" Jacks eyes widened "Audrey's dead?" Pacey nodded his head.

"What...What the hell is going on?" Jen stuttered.

"By the sound of it Eddie has an unhealthy obsession with Joey." Jack replied with his hands shoved into his jean pockets. The three sat down on the couch in the living room, Jack reached for Jen's hand, squeezing it with reassurance.

Once again, the familiar tightening in his chest caused Pacey to wince, the idea Joey was in danger made him sick to his stomach, he hated that he couldn't do anything to help her, that she was in trouble and he was powerless. He began to blame himself, if he had simply looked out for her, continued to drive her home like he had been doing she would be okay now. He didn't have to be anything else, he could just be her friend. Go back to friendship because anything more was dangerous.

He missed her.

He could pretend all he wanted was friendship.

He could have kept her safe then.

Pacey woke with a stiffened neck from sleeping on Jen's couch, he slowly worked the muscles in his shoulders and stood up, hearing voices from the kitchen. He recognized two females, a third he had never heard before. Yawning, Pacey made his way down the hall to the kitchen. Jen stood leaning against the sink with a cup of tea clasped between her hands, Pacey grinned as Grams' chortled at something the third unknown woman said.

"Hello ladies" He smiled, making his way into the kitchen. He placed a soft kiss on Grams' hairline "Good to see you Grams" He smiled. Grams patted the hand Pacey lay on her shoulder.

"How are you Mr Witter?" She asked, Pacey swallowed as he took in the women's solemn expressions, Jen shook her head. Pacey looked to Grams and closed his eyes for the briefest of moments, he stood to his full height and took a few slow breaths.

"You must be Pacey right?" A woman with dark brown hair and eyes and a warm smile extended her hand. "I'm Bessie, Joey's sister." Pacey accepted her hand and offered a genuine smile.

"It's great to meet you." He spoke, accepting the coffee Jen offered him while sitting down on a stool at the end of the counter. "Where's Jack?" He looked around him curiously, Jen shook her head at him.

"He had to work, said he'd have his phone on him. He was going to call in a try to get someone to cover for him but." Jen shrugged "I mean, there's nothing he can do though." Pacey nodded, she was right.

"Heard anything from Detective Vincent?" Pacey asked, three heads shook their heads.

"Do you work tonight?" Jen asked him "I wasn't sure" Pacey scrubbed his hands over his face.

"No, I have to go in though, a meeting with Chief for all of the Captains, debriefing about the Auxiliary Ball fire." Jen's brows drew together along with the other women "It was deliberate, they're looking for an arsonist so now-" Pacey leaned forward "Another round of questioning and tightening up of protocol. Hopefully they will find this guy pretty quickly, doesn't look like he knows what he's doing, very sloppy work so should be easy to find." Pacey nodded his head at the women who looked at him with dread. Pacey frowned and cursed inwardly knowing while Joey had been kidnapped by some obsessed psycho they didn't need to hear about how an arsonist was getting about starting fires. Pacey shook his head "Sorry." He stood, pushing the stool back noisily and began to pace the floor.

"Pace, calm down. She's going to be fine." Jen said, her voice soft while she watched him, shoes scuffing the floor. Pacey stopped and turned around, his hand cupping the back of his neck. He closed his eyes for a moment before opening them and looking to Jen, his eyes filled with regret.

"Dammit!" He cursed and began pacing again "If I hadn't been acting like a major ass I could have been here for her, I could have..." He shook his head.

"What Pacey?" Bessie asked him, her eyes shone with tears. "Kept her safe?" He nodded. "Every single minute of every day?" She asked him. Pacey looked to her, his eyes showing hurt and pain, he shook his head because despite what he wanted, the truth was he couldn't. He couldn't keep her safe every minute of every day.

The faint rapping of someone at the door pulled everyone attention to the front of the house, Pacey rushed to the door with Bessie hot on his heels. Pacey through open the door to reveal a guy of average height and beady eyes, the man stepped back in surprise at Pacey's larger frame.

"I-I, is Joey home?" He asked, unsure of himself.

Bessie's eyes widened and spoke, "Adam?"


End file.
